Solarize NC Information

Solarize is a highly successful model for expanding solar power on homes and businesses. It was pioneered in Portland, Oregon in 2009 and has been spreading across North Carolina since 2013. The Solarize model is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Energy, which has published A Solarize Guidebook to help communities start Solarize programs. Solarize programs are usually sponsored by nonprofit organizations. Two of North Carolina's most successful Solarize sponsors - NC WARN and NextClimate - teamed up to offer Solarize the Triangle in 2016. Through bulk purchasing and neighbor-to-neighbor outreach, Solarize cuts pricing even below retail solar prices that have fallen 80% in the last five years. The more customers participate, the lower the price. Solarize programs are offered for specific geographic areas and a limited time period. To see a list of past Solarize programs in North Carolina, visit our Locations page. There are no current programs, but when new ones begin, we will post them on that page. Or email us to be put on a list to receive Solarize updates. If you sign up for a Solarize program, we will first check to make sure your building is suitable for solar. If it is, an installer will give you a proposal for a solar system suitable for your needs. If you choose to sign an installation contract, your price will drop as more Solarize participants decide to install solar. Your installer will handle all permits and inspections. Once your system is operating, you will be generating most of your own electricity and getting credit for excess power that you send back to the grid. Power bill savings start the day the system is installed, locking in low-cost clean energy for 25 years or more.