Solar Energy

Environmental groups are asking the North Carolina Court of Appeals to overturn Duke Energy's new rates and rules for residential rooftop solar panels that took effect Oct. 1.

Rooftop solar installers are asking state regulators to delay new rules and the implementation of lower payments for non-residential customers. They say Duke Energy hasn't provided adequate public notice of the changes that start next week.

The city of Charlotte is evaluating a developer's proposal to build one or two more solar farms to power city facilities. It's part of the city's drive to power all its buildings with carbon-free energy.

A South Carolina tech company that connects homeowners with rooftop solar installers says it's moving its headquarters to Charlotte's South End. Palmetto is currently based in Charleston, South Carolina.

North Carolina regulators have approved Duke Energy Progress’s plan to reduce what commercial rooftop solar customers get paid for electricity they send to the grid. Solar advocates say the change caught them by surprise and could make solar less attractive, especially for smaller customers.

Solar electricity generation outpaced coal generation in North Carolina in the first three months of 2023, for the third time in the past couple of years. It's another sign of how North Carolina is evolving toward cleaner forms of energy.

The city of Charlotte has a goal of switching to 100% renewable energy in city vehicles and facilities by 2030. Getting there is a project-by-project task. On Monday, the City Council approved two more projects that will help the city reduce its use of electricity generated by fossil fuels. Both passed without discussion.

The Charlotte City Council will vote Monday night on whether to lease city land for a solar farm that eventually will help the city meet its climate goals by cutting the use of fossil fuels for electricity.

Solar installations across the Southeast are growing again as the U.S. rebounds from the pandemic and supply-chain delays. Florida leads the region, while North Carolina, which once led the Southeast, is expected to continue slipping down the list in the next few years.

Duke Energy has reached a deal to sell its unregulated commercial wind and solar business for $2.8 billion. And it says it's making progress on the sale of another division that provides rooftop solar to businesses.