Duke Energy customers who generate electricity from their own renewable facility may be eligible to offset their retail bill through “Net Metering.” Through this arrangement you can use the electricity you generate while receiving service from Duke Energy. The nameplate capacity of your generating facility cannot exceed the lesser of your estimated maximum annual kilowatt demand or 20 kW for residential or 1,000 kW for nonresidential.
Customers who wish to offset their bills with renewable energy must participate on Duke Energy’s Net Metering Rider which accompanies a standard retail rate. The Rider NM is available in conjunction with the Duke Energy residential and general service schedules to a customer under the following conditions:
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The customer operates a solar electric; wind-powered; biomass-fueled, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, spent pulping liquors, combustible residues, combustible liquids, combustible gases, energy crops or landfill methane; waste heat derived from a renewable energy resource that produces electricity at the customer’s site; or hydro-powered generating system located and used at the customer’s primary, legal residence or business where a part or all of the electrical requirements of the customer can be supplied from customer’s generating system.
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The rated capacity of the generating system shall not exceed the lesser of the customer’s estimated maximum annual kilowatt demand or 1,000 kilowatts.
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The generating system that is connected in parallel operation with service from the company and located on the customer’s premises must be manufactured, installed and operated in accordance with governmental and industry standards and must fully conform with company’s “North Carolina Interconnection Procedures, Forms and Agreements for State-Jurisdictional Generation Interconnections.” Please note the North Carolina Interconnection Procedures were revised by the North Carolina Utilities Commission effective August 20, 2021.
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Standby service provisions shall not be required when service is used in conjunction with this Rider for residential applicants, regardless of generation capacity, and general service applicants with generation capacities of 100 kW or less.
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The customer may not simultaneously receive service under this Rider NM and the company’s Purchased Power tariff or participate as a generation resource in NC GreenPower.
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If the customer receives electric service under a schedule other than a time-of-use schedule with demand rates, any renewable energy credit or “green tags” shall be provided by the customer at no cost to Duke Energy. If service is received under a time-of-use schedule with demand rates, all renewable energy credits or “green tags” shall be retained solely by the customer.
There are several factors to consider when determining which rate schedule and net metering arrangement is best for you. Your generator’s output, like your electrical consumption, will likely vary throughout the year. If your generated output is consistently greater than your consumption, a “sell-all” arrangement may be more viable than a net metering option. While net metering should lessen your bill, it will not eliminate it entirely. It is advisable to look into the ways and times that you are using electricity and compare this to your generator’s output. This effort may also help you find additional ways to conserve energy.
NCUC Renewable Energy Facilities
North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) registration of new Renewable Energy Facilities is a retail customer planning to install a new renewable energy facility utilizing Duke Energy’s net metering Rider NM not served on a time-of-use rate schedule must register their facility as a new Renewable Energy Facility with the NCUC under Rule R8-66 and assign the Renewable Energy Certificates produced by the facility to Duke Energy Carolinas using the North Carolina Renewable Energy Tracking System NCRETS. Information regarding NCUC Rule 8-66 can be found on the Commission website located at http://www.ncuc.net/ncrules/Chapter08.pdf.
Learn more at: https://www.duke-energy.com/home/products/renewable-energy/generate-your-own/net-metering.
