If you already have solar in North Carolina, you may have heard that Duke Energy's net metering rules are changing in 2027.
That can raise some obvious questions:
The good news is that your solar system isn't going anywhere. But the way your solar production is credited on your electric bill is changing for most Duke Energy customers, starting in the new year.
North Carolina's previous residential net metering schedule, known as Legacy Net Metering, closed to new customers on September 30, 2023. Since then, anyone submitting an interconnection application chooses between two new residential schedules: Net Metering Bridge Rider (NMB) and Residential Solar Choice (RSC).
Both schedules change how solar customers are billed and how excess electricity sent to the grid gets credited. RSC also introduces time-of-use pricing with critical peak pricing.
Homeowners already on Legacy Net Metering, on the other hand, are grandfathered into their current policy through the end of 2026.
If you are currently on Legacy Net Metering, you will be automatically transitioned to either NMB or RSC after December 31, 2026.
You don't have to replace or reinstall your solar panels, and your solar system will continue producing electricity just as it does today. What changes is how your solar savings will be calculated.
For many homeowners, this means you need to, first, identify whether you'll be transitioned to NMB or RSC, and second, understand what this change means for your solar savings.
One of the most important details for existing solar customers to understand is that NMB is available for up to 15 years from the date of your interconnection request application.
That 15-year period does not restart if you are automatically moved from Legacy Net Metering to NMB in 2027.
For example, suppose your original interconnection application was submitted in 2018. Your 15-year eligibility period is based on that original application date, so you will only be able to remain on NMB for about 7 more years.
For homeowners whose 15-year period has already expired, there isn't a new NMB period waiting for them.
Under the current rules, once your NMB eligibility ends, you move to Residential Solar Choice or another net metering tariff in effect at that time. And, currently, NMB and RSC are the only two revised residential net metering schedules in place.
If you have an older solar system, it's worth finding your original interconnection paperwork.
Your installation date can give you a general idea, but the rules specifically tie the 15-year NMB period to the interconnection request application date.
That date can help you determine how long NMB could apply to your account after the 2026 transition.
The biggest change isn't that your solar panels produce less electricity, it's that the value of the electricity you send back to the grid changes.
Under Legacy Net Metering, excess generation could be carried forward to offset future electricity charges each month before resetting in the spring.
Under the newer NMB and RSC schedules, excess energy exported to the grid is credited at the utility's wholesale rate within that billing cycle.
The distinction matters because the electricity your solar system produces can have different economic value depending on where that electricity goes.
So, while your credits won't be zeroing out every year like they currently do, your summertime overproduction won't be able to help offset your winter underproduction and each kWh in excess will be credited at a lower value.
That is, if you choose to export your overproduction.
Starting in 2027, using more of your own solar energy will become an important factor in your overall savings.
Solar panels typically produce the most electricity during the middle of the day, while homes usually consume more later in the evening or early the next morning. Under Legacy Net Metering, this wasn't a problem, with everything having a 1:1 value; however, these new policies change that.
For homeowners who will still be NMB-eligible come January, the time of day you're producing vs consuming won't really be an issue, as your afternoon credits will offset your later use. But, you will lose value in the long run, as overproduction will be credited at the wholesale rate.
For those switching over to RSC, however, this is critical, as the value of each kWh will vary depending on the time of day. Hours when everyone typically uses the most electricity (winter mornings and summer evenings) are categorized as on-peak hours, with remaining hours split between off-peak and discount (overnight) hours.
Power during on-peak hours is both charged and credited at a premium rate, while also being categorized differently than the kWh you export during the afternoon 'off-peak' hours.
Translation: Your afternoon export on RSC won't be a 1:1 offset of your on-peak consumption, and any excess beyond your consumption is credited at an even lower rate.
This is where battery storage can become particularly relevant for existing solar customers.
A battery can store your excess solar energy and make it available when your home needs it, whether that's for your next peak window, the next billing cycle, or even the next power outage.
That makes battery storage a much more important consideration for existing solar homeowners than it may have been when their system was originally installed.
Existing solar customers should start with three things:
1. Find your original interconnection application date.
This will help you determine how much time you may have on NMB.
2. Look at how much solar energy you export.
Your Duke Energy interval data can show you how much electricity your system sends to the grid and when those exports occur.
3. Look at how your household uses electricity.
If you use most of your electricity in the evening, have an EV, plan to add more electric appliances or already have a battery, your future energy profile may look very different from when your solar system was installed.
These details can help you evaluate whether your current setup is still optimized for the way Duke's net metering schedules work today.
The end of Legacy Net Metering doesn't mean your solar investment stops working. It means the rules governing the value of your solar production are changing.
You already made the investment in solar. Now the goal is to make sure you're getting as much value as possible from that system under the schedule that applies to you.
For some homeowners, that may simply mean understanding the transition to NMB. For others, particularly those with significant exports, EVs or changing electricity needs, it may be worth looking at energy usage and battery storage more closely.