When your solar panels produce more electricity than your home is using, the surplus flows to the grid. With net metering, Duke Energy credits your account for that excess at the retail electricity rate. That credit offsets your bill when your panels aren’t producing, such as at night or on overcast days.
In North Carolina, Duke Energy customers with solar are entitled to net metering under state law. Credits carry over month to month but reset at the end of the annual billing period. If your system consistently produces more than you consume, you’ll receive credits rather than a cash payment for the surplus. Most solar installers size systems to match your actual usage to avoid over-producing by a large margin.
When you’re getting quotes
Ask your installer how they’re sizing the system relative to your actual annual usage. A well-matched system should offset most of your bill without generating large amounts of unused surplus. Also ask whether Duke Energy has moved you (or will move you) to a time-of-use rate — net metering credits can be worth less under those plans if most of your solar export happens during off-peak hours.