New voluntary solar program helps Duke Energy customers in North Carolina, South Carolina support clean energy
- Clean Energy Connection subscribers can earn monthly bill credits for solar energy generated by participation, without installing solar panels
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has made proposals to the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the Public Service Commission of South Carolina to help customers in both states to receive the benefits of solar energy without the commitment and expense of installing and maintaining rooftop panels. The company's new proposed Clean Energy Connection (CEC) program is designed to allow customers to subscribe to new, utility-owned solar energy facilities, pay a monthly subscription fee and receive a bill credit for solar produced, at no extra cost to non-participating customers.
If approved, the CEC program will be available to large commercial customers, small- and medium-sized business customers and residential customers in the Carolinas. The program was filed with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina in late December 2024 and with the North Carolina Utilities Commission in early January 2025.
The CEC program builds upon years of stakeholder engagement that yielded an expansion of program options for customers to have access to solar in the Carolinas, including the recently approved Green Source Advantage (GSA) Choice in North Carolina and Renewable Choice, Clean Energy Impact and expansion of GSA in South Carolina. These programs were developed after extensive conversations with customers, and other key stakeholders to learn more about what is needed for customers to achieve their carbon and sustainability goals.
"Employers and economic development prospects look to Duke Energy to help them reach their sustainability goals in ways that fit their individual needs," said Meghan Dewey, vice president of products and services for Duke Energy. "The proposed Clean Energy Connection program helps us meet those needs by expanding opportunities for customers to subscribe to renewable energy right here in the Carolinas."
How the Clean Energy Connection program works
The program leverages competitively procured solar necessary for the system. Customers may subscribe to a portion of that solar energy from Duke Energy's CEC solar portfolio in 1-kilowatt (kW) increment subscriptions associated with the program's solar facilities. The monthly subscription fee is conveniently added to a customer's regular electric bill.
Customers also receive a corresponding subscription credit that represents their share of energy produced by the solar centers in a given month, multiplied by the subscription credit rate, which begins to escalate annually after three continuous years of subscription in the program. Participating customers will also have the rights to the environmental benefits of that renewable energy without directly owning the generating facility, and these benefits can be used to help achieve their own environmental and sustainability goals.
The financial impact from the program benefits all customers without penalizing non-participating customers.
If approved, the program will be open to current and future Duke Energy customers in 2027, when the new solar facilities are expected to come online. Current customers with more than 12 months of billing history at their residence can match the subscription level needed to their usage. Customers who do not have 12 months of billing history at their residence can enroll in the program at a baseline level of 1 kW per month for residential or nonresidential and adjust their subscription once they have passed the 12-month mark.
Income-qualified participation
Customers who have a household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or who can present proof of participation in local, state or federal assistance, will also be able to participate in the CEC program, if approved.
Customers who are income-qualified will have a subscription fee. The bill credit per subscription will be fixed to ensure that the bill credit is $1/kW per month higher than the subscription fee – locking in a net benefit for them. The funding to ensure this net benefit for income-qualified customers is provided by other CEC program participants, meaning there is no subsidy from non-participating customers.
All Duke Energy customers in North Carolina and South Carolina who are interested in the CEC program can learn more at Duke Energy's website:
https://www.duke-energy.com/CEConnection
https://www.duke-energy.com/CEConnectionBiz
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 utilities serve 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 nuclear.
More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.
Contact: Logan Stewart
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_LoganS
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SOURCE Duke Energy