CHANGING MARKET CONDITIONS LEAD TO REDUCED PRICE FOR BUYING RESIDENTIAL SOLAR THROUGH CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG CAMPAIGN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

Oct. 9, 2025

CHANGING MARKET CONDITIONS LEAD TO REDUCED PRICE FOR BUYING RESIDENTIAL SOLAR THROUGH

CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG CAMPAIGN

Community-Sponsored Campaign Moves to Most Affordable Pricing Tier   

Charlotte, NC – Due to rapidly changing market conditions, the community-powered Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg campaign has re-evaluated its pricing and significantly lowered the cost of a new solar energy system purchased through the group-buying campaign.

A combination of economic factors, including lower cost for equipment, enabled the campaign to propel more renewable energy purchases via the limited-time program to their most affordable level possible.

Key changes include:

• All residential solar energy systems sized over 5kW will be lowered immediately to $1.95 per watt. That’s over 30 percent lower than the initial offering from the campaign, which launched in June. The tiered pricing schedule previously used is no longer in effect. 
• The price for a Tesla PowerWall3 battery system will be reduced from $14,500 to $14,000.
• All earlier buyers of systems through the program will be provided with the new, lower pricing.

The no-obligation signup deadline for Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenberg remains Oct. 31. Following that, the deadline for all residential contracts to be signed is Dec. 31, 2025. This means prospective residential system purchasers still will have plenty of time to evaluate their free system proposal before making a final decision to make a purchase.

Launched this summer by a local partnership consisting of the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, the Town of Davidson, and Centralina Regional Council, the limited-time campaign offers benefits uniquely geared to making renewable energy for homes, businesses and nonprofits more affordable locally.

“Since the federal tax credit was removed from homeowners’ ability to capture additional savings earlier this summer, this change further solidifies our commitment to offer the most affordable solar and battery backup options through this campaign initiative by providing thousands of dollars in upfront savings,” said Chris Berg, Senior Director of Sales at Renu Energy Solutions, the Charlotte-based firm vetted to provide installations for the program. “A huge thank you goes out to all partners involved which allows us to continue the mission of sustainable energy through Solarize Charlotte Mecklenburg."

Added Don Moreland, president of SolarCrowdsource, a facilitator of the campaign: “We believe this new offering is responsive to the rapidly evolving policy landscape and the community’s ability to adapt to changing market conditions. This is a strong message to the public that Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg is right out in front, and that residential solar is alive and well.”

While the pricing structure for residential systems has been reduced, the fundamental reasons to go solar via Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg remain strong, including: 

• Free and Trusted Evaluations: Those who sign up without obligation by Oct. 31 get a no-cost custom proposal as well as qualify for group discount pricing. All evaluations include projected bill savings over the next 25 years and financial analyses that include payback times and Return on Investment.
• Community Support: Via Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg, property owners are not “going it alone.” Campaign organizers bring over a decade of solar energy experience to help ensure projects meet expectations.
• Duke PowerPair Program: Offering up to $9,000 for qualifying solar + battery systems for a limited time. Additional incentives from Duke are also projected to be at capacity very soon. 
• Duke Bridge Rate: A hybrid net metering rate plan will be available only through 2027.

A free online session focused on limited-time savings available for solar energy and battery power available through Duke Energy is set for noon-1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23. To learn more and register to view Solar Savings With Utility Incentives, visit the Solarize Charlotte Mecklenburg event registration site here.

So far, 260 local property owners have signed up to receive a solar energy system proposal through the Solarize Charlotte Mecklenburg campaign. Participants who entered into contracts to purchase solar have already combined to buy 276.2 kW in system power, which equals 573,104 lbs. of CO2 avoided annually.

Batteries have also been selected by each of these homeowners to supplement their new systems and take advantage of rebates available through the Duke Energy PowerPair program. A total of 418.5 kWh in new battery storage has been added through the campaign. 

Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenberg also is offering commercial solar for businesses, building owners and nonprofits. The deadline for free, no-obligation enrollment is the same – Oct. 31 – but property owners considering a commercial system through the program have later deadlines due to the time needed to consider a larger-scale system.

All interested residential and commercial property owners should go to the program website to learn more about the campaign and to enroll with no obligation. Informational sessions to view are also available on the website as well as community appearances scheduled by the campaign’s organizers.

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About Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg: Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg is a community-based campaign developed to help lower the cost of solar energy and battery-storage installations through the power of bulk purchasing, reducing contractor acquisition costs and transferring those savings to residential and commercial buyers. Communities involved include: the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Town of Davidson along with others that may join. Centralina Regional Council and Solar Crowdsource are facilitating the program, which launched officially on June 25, 2025. 

Media Contact | SolarCrowdsource: Ken Haldin | ken@solarcrowdsource.com (404) 405-2924