PowerPair is Duke Energy’s incentive program for North Carolina homeowners who install solar and battery storage together for the first time. It can materially reduce the cost of a qualifying solar-plus-battery project, but the program is capacity-limited and effectively full in 2026.
As of June 2026, Duke Energy Progress capacity is exhausted, and Duke Energy Carolinas is at or near its program cap. Treat PowerPair as unavailable for a new project unless Duke Energy or a Duke Energy Trade Ally confirms a reservation, remaining capacity, or another active application path for your address.
The incentive is paid as a one-time bill credit, not a tax refund. You don’t wait until tax season and you don’t need to calculate anything against your tax liability. The credit comes off your Duke Energy bill after the system is installed and verified.
What the incentive covers
When capacity and eligibility are confirmed, PowerPair provides two one-time installation incentives that can stack:
- Solar: $0.36 per watt-AC of installed capacity, up to 10 kW AC. Maximum $3,600.
- Battery: $400 per kWh of installed capacity, up to 13.5 kWh. Maximum $5,400.
Smaller systems earn proportionally less. The incentive is calculated from installed solar and battery capacity, not as a flat amount for every project.
Who qualifies
- North Carolina residential customer of Duke Energy Progress or Duke Energy Carolinas
- Solar and battery installed together at your property for the first time
- No existing solar at the address
- Installation performed by a Duke Energy-approved Trade Ally
- Battery on Duke Energy’s approved equipment list
- Enrollment in either the Net Metering Bridge or Residential Solar Choice rider
- Minimum 24-month enrollment in that rider
- Internet connectivity for system monitoring
The “first time” requirement is strict. Prior solar at the premises can disqualify the project, and program capacity may already be unavailable, so have your installer confirm both eligibility and reservation status before building PowerPair into the quote.
The Power Manager Battery Control option
PowerPair connects with Duke Energy’s battery control programs. Duke describes Power Manager Battery Control and EnergyWise Home Battery Control as demand-response programs where Duke may temporarily adjust an enrolled battery’s operating settings during control events. This kind of coordinated battery program is often described as a virtual power plant when many distributed devices are managed together. Under the battery control option:
- You may receive monthly bill credits for continued participation
- Duke Energy may call battery control events during the year
- Internet connectivity and eligible equipment are required
- Program details vary by Duke utility and rider, so confirm the exact bill credit and requirements during enrollment
Do not assume a specific monthly dollar amount until Duke Energy confirms it for your utility, battery model, and enrollment path.
How to apply
- Find a Duke Energy Trade Ally installer who handles PowerPair applications
- Get a quote that includes both solar and battery
- Submit the PowerPair application for review
- Wait for Duke Energy to confirm whether capacity, reservation, or waitlist status exists
- After installation, submit final documentation
- Duke Energy processes the incentive if the project remains eligible
If you have already installed recently, Duke has historically required qualifying systems to apply within 90 days of the operational date, but that timing does not override program capacity limits.
What it doesn’t cover
PowerPair is calculated on installed solar capacity and installed battery capacity. It doesn’t separately cover installation labor, panel upgrades, monitoring hardware beyond standard requirements, or ongoing maintenance. If your home needs a panel upgrade before installation, that cost is separate.
The program is a pilot with capacity limits. In 2026, those limits are the deciding issue: check current status before relying on PowerPair in your financial case, and do not use the incentive as a guaranteed discount in a quote.