To your home, power is power. It doesn't care if it's coming from the grid, solar panels, or a battery. It also doesn't matter what time of day you're consuming electricity.
On the other hand, your wallet cares a great deal. Inflation isn't slowing down anytime soon, grid rates continue to climb, and there's even another proposed increase for 2027.
Solar panels have had great success in helping thousands of homeowners across the Cape Fear region reduce (and sometimes even eliminate) their power bills. It all comes down to designing a system to meet the specific energy needs of a home and allowing the homeowner to either store or receive credit for excess solar production each month.
However, starting in 2027, that value of your solar energy is set to change with Duke Energy's new time-of-use rider Residential Solar Choice.
This means that the same kilowatt-hour can be worth several times more depending on when it's produced or used. So if you have solar, or you're thinking about it, the time of day matters almost as much as the size of your roof.
How does Duke's time-of-use schedule work?
Duke's time-of-use rider, Residential Solar Choice, divides each day into periods, according to how much demand is on the grid. Each period is then charged accordingly:
- Critical peak: 41.002¢ per kWh
- On-peak: 21.952¢ per kWh
- Off-peak: 11.000¢ per kWh
- Discount: 8.274¢ per kWh
The periods with the highest demand ("on-peak") have premium prices, and those with the lowest are discounted.
On-peak periods run Monday through Friday, excluding the holidays, though the time of day varies according to the season. In the summer (May--September), this expensive window is in the evening, when most homes are running the AC and cooking dinner, from 6:00 to 9:00pm. In winter (October--April), it moves to the early morning, when everyone is warming up their homes and getting ready for work and school, from 6:00 to 9:00am.
The discount period is the cheapest, with May through September running from 1:00 to 6:00 am every day, and October through April running both 1:00 to 3:00 am and 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Everything else is off-peak.
Duke can also call up to 20 critical peak days a year and must notify customers by 4:00 pm the day before. During these days, the on-peak window becomes a critical peak window at the higher rate.
How does solar production line up with my bill?
While your panels make the most power in the middle of the day, households typically use the most power in the evening or early morning. Under a time-of-use rate, those two patterns can sit far apart.
When your home uses more than your panels are making, you buy from Duke at that particular period's rate. When your panels produce more than your home is using in the same period, the extra goes to the grid or into a battery, if you have one.
It's important to note that the winter discount window in the middle of the day overlaps with your panels' best production, so the timing of your exports matters in every season.
How is my exported power credited?
Residential Solar Choice nets the power you send to the grid against the power you draw, within each time-of-use period. Critical peak hours are netted separately.
If your exports are more than your consumption for the billing period, the net excess earns 3.94¢ per kWh. That credit is the same regardless of when the power was exported.
Compare it with the 21.952¢ you'd pay for on-peak power in the evening, and you can see why timing matters so much.
How do I maximize the value of my solar production?
Is it still possible to reduce your monthly power bills with this new solar rate schedule?
Absolutely. This change doesn't mean that the value of solar is going away, it means that how it's valued has simply changed.
With timing so critical, it's important to shift grid consumption to the cheapest hours of the day. But no one is expecting you to suddenly become nocturnal to take advantage of the discount hours. Additionally, your consumption from everyday tasks isn't the biggest energy load--it's your heat pump and HVAC.
This is where a battery comes into play, allowing you to store all of your midday solar, rather than exporting the excess at 3.94¢, and use it during your next on-peak window, rather than paying 21.952¢.
By programming your home's on-peak consumption to only come from your battery system, you'll be able to maximize the value of the energy your solar system already produces.
How do I further control my electrical usage?
While your battery has a wide range of programmable features, if you're interested in a more granular level of control or visibility, you might want to consider smart circuits or a smart electrical control panel.
Smart circuits are just what they sound like--circuit breakers with integrated smart home technology that allow for individualized control and automation.
A smart panel replaces your entire main panel and gives you whole-home control to see which loads draw power, when they draw it, and what keeps running during an outage.
Two panels are worth knowing about in this market:
- SPAN offers circuit-level monitoring, control, and customizable battery backup. The company says its panels can extend backup duration by up to 40%.
- Koolbridge Energy, based right here in Wilmington, makes a Smart Load Center. It picks the most cost-effective power source and can give utilities controlled access to backup power, with the homeowner's permission.
Are there any current battery incentives?
As part of its demand response program, Duke Energy's EnergyWise battery control option credits homeowners each month for allowing the utility to call upon their battery during the 30-36 control events each year, with allowed 4 opt-outs.
Demand response programs are designed to help ease the load on the grid during times of peak usage. Think of things like extreme heat waves or cold spells, when everyone is maxing out their homes' air conditioning or heat pumps, or during a severe storm when part of the grid gets damaged.
Instead of rolling brownouts or even blackouts for an entire community, Duke discharges enrolled batteries down to 20% to keep the grid up for everyone. In exchange, you get a monthly credit whether your battery was called upon or not.
Historically, Cape Fear Energy customers have seen a monthly credit of about a $46 for a single Tesla Powerwall 3 and $52 for a FranklinWH aPower 2/aPower S.
For a lot of customers, this monthly credit has even been able to bring their utility bills into the negatives and roll over a discount into the next month.
For more information on how the incentive is calculated and what it could look like for other products, please visit Duke Energy's EnergyWise homepage.
What changes if I already have solar on net metering?
If you already have solar on one of Duke's flat-rate net metering policies, your rate is changing, but not right away.
After 2026, legacy net metering customers move to the Net Metering Bridge rider, Rider NMB. You can stay on Rider NMB for up to 15 years from your interconnection application date. When that period ends, you'll move to Residential Solar Choice, or to another net metering schedule if one is in effect then. Residential Solar Choice is the only option available today.
Final Thoughts
Duke’s time-of-use rates change how your solar is valued, not whether it’s worth having.
A kilowatt-hour that offsets your evening use at 21.952¢ is worth far more than one exported at midday for 3.94¢, so the homes that do best under this structure are the ones that plan around timing. For most, that means a battery charged by the panels, a smart panel or circuit controls for the loads that matter, and possibly EnergyWise enrollment for a monthly credit.
If you already have solar on net metering, your current rate stays in place for now, and the next step is understanding your own interconnection date and usage pattern.
Your home’s roof, your usage, and your bill will determine the right answer, and a personalized savings estimate from Cape Fear Energy Systems can show you what it looks like for you.
FAQ
How is my solar credited under Residential Solar Choice?
Duke nets the power you export against the power you use within each time-of-use period. Net excess energy earns 3.94¢ per kWh.
When are the on-peak hours for solar customers?
Weekdays, excluding holidays: 6:00 to 9:00 pm from May through September, and 6:00 to 9:00 am from October through April. On-peak power costs 21.952¢ per kWh.
What happens to my solar rate if I'm already on net metering?
After 2026, legacy net metering customers move to Rider NMB. You can stay on it for up to 15 years from your interconnection application date. Then you'll move to Residential Solar Choice, or to another net metering schedule if one is in effect at that time.
Does a solar battery save money under time-of-use?
A battery charged solely by your panels can store midday production and use it during on-peak hours instead of exporting it at 3.94¢. The savings depend on your system size, usage pattern, efficiency losses, and monthly charges. A personalized estimate is the best way to check your home.
How much does EnergyWise pay?
Under Rider LC, enrolled batteries receive $6.50 per kW per month of nameplate discharge capacity, adjusted by a capability factor that Duke posts on its website. Duke runs 30 to 36 control events a year and won't discharge a battery below 20% state of charge.
Can I lease solar panels?
Yes. Leasing is now available for solar panels and batteries in NC, and provides an even further reduced monthly payment. Leased systems are also eligible to enroll in EnergyWise.