- Customers could receive up to $9,000 as a one-time incentive to help lower the
cost of installing solar and battery storage
- Programs explore new ways to help manage low carbon grids of
the future
CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 4,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is
implementing PowerPairSM, a new incentive-based pilot
program for installing home solar generation with battery energy
storage in its Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress
service areas in North Carolina.
The company received approval from the North Carolinas Utility
Commission (NCUC) for the program on January
11, 2024.
The one-time incentive-based program, designed to help make a
home solar plus battery system more affordable for customers,
offers up to $9,000 in incentives for
residential customers who install a solar plus battery system. The
total incentive is based on the type of solar array and battery
installed.
PowerPair was designed in collaboration with numerous
stakeholder groups pursuant to the direction of the NCUC.
"PowerPair gives Duke Energy an added tool to provide more
reliability to solar energy which in turn benefits all customers as
North Carolina grows in
population," said Lon Huber, Duke
Energy senior vice president, Pricing and Customer Solutions. "And
by participating, customers are helping to support the state's
clean energy goals."
Some PowerPair customers and customers with existing battery
storage may also participate in the company's expanded demand
response programs. The Power Manager® and
EnergyWise® Home programs will now include the newly
approved battery control option, available in July. By enrolling,
customers allow Duke Energy to temporarily adjust the system's
operating setting a minimum of 30 times per year up to a maximum of
36 times per year, to provide stored electricity back to the grid.
Participants receive a bill credit each month for enrolling a
qualifying battery storage system and meeting program requirements,
including internet connectivity. Customers may opt out of four
events per year and still be eligible to receive bill credits.
"As we continue to strengthen our grid and bring clean energy
resources online, our customers are important partners in our clean
energy future – and can receive upfront and potential ongoing
financial incentives for coupling solar power and battery storage
on their residential systems," said Huber. "These programs enable
Duke Energy to maximize the use of popular consumer technologies to
support the overall energy grid."
Participants in the pilot will have two enrollment options. They
can enroll in the PowerPair pilot on a residential solar choice
rider (RSC) or through a net metering bridge rider (NMB) and
receive a one-time incentive of up to $9,000. NMB customers will be required to enroll
in the new Power Manager and EnergyWise Home Battery Control
option. They will receive the additional monthly bill credits for
their participation.
To help ensure incentive equity, PowerPair pilot participants
will initially be selected through a random selection process
(RSP), which will open May 10. The
RSP window for the PowerPair program will be four weeks in length,
allowing customers time to apply on the Duke Energy website.
Customers can sign up to receive program updates, view the approved
battery vendor list and view information on equipment eligibility
(not all systems will be eligible) at
duke-energy.com/PowerPair.
Participating PowerPair customers must employ a Duke Energy
Trade Ally, a solar and battery installer that has been approved by
Duke Energy. Customers can use the Company's Find It Duke program
to locate approved companies knowledgeable about the program.
Installers may apply to become a Duke Energy Trade Ally here.
Ranked fourth in the nation for overall solar power,
North Carolina has approximately
45,000 customers who generate power with solar panels with a total
capacity of about 350 megawatts. The expanded demand response
offerings will add to the existing 100 megawatts of residential
flexible winter capacity in North Carolina.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in
Charlotte, N.C., is one of
America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric
utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky, and collectively own
54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves
1.7 million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition,
keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the
forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions
from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions
from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in
major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including
expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and advanced
nuclear.
More information is available at duke-energy.com and the
Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for
stories about the people and innovations powering our energy
transition.
Contact: Logan Kureczka
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_LoganK
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SOURCE Duke Energy