Whether you're just getting started or have thoroughly researched solar energy, give our office a call (252-995-5616) to review your home's energy history and discuss your goals before committing to a solar contract.

Unfortunately, we've seen instances in our community where members have been misled and misinformed because of inaccurate information. We're here to be your energy partner throughout the process, helping you to arrive at a decision right for your home and personal goals. 

Another thing we always recommend is to improve the energy efficiency of your home. A more efficient home stretches your energy dollar further, and you'll recover the expense of your solar investment more quickly.

Depending upon the size and efficiency of your system and home, most homeowners see savings on their electric bill. Some solar companies make claims that you'll never have to pay an electric bill again, and we caution this is simply not true. Your home requires electricity even if the sun is not shining, including at night and on cloudy days, which means you will continue to draw electricity from the grid and be billed monthly based on your home energy use and any basic facilities charges.

CHEC members with home solar are still connected to the grid. Because we are an at-cost, not-for-profit cooperative energy provider, standard charges that all members pay, to ensure the reliability and safety of the electric grid for all, will stay on your bill, no matter how much energy your home may produce. Without this structure, grid costs would unintentionally be shifted to members for whom home solar is out of reach for financial, geographic or other reasons. 

A great resource for checking your potential production based on your address and system size can be found at PVWatts Calculator.

This is a common question and a concept often clouded by misinformation. The best thing you can do is contact us to determine if solar is the right fit for meeting your financial goals.

Each of North Carolina's 26 electric cooperatives is independent and governed locally by an elected board of directors, which is responsible for setting and reviewing policies. This means our policies may differ from our neighboring co-ops because of our local circumstances and needs.

At CHEC, we offer members with solar two options for metering.

  Option 1 - Buy all/sell all: We can meter the solar array separately from the house and buy 100% of its production at an "avoided cost" rate of 3.44 cents per kWh. Compensating at "avoided cost" ensures you earn a fair price for what you produce while also paying for the infrastructure still utilized by the home. 

  Option 2 - Use what you produce:  We can connect the solar array to the home's existing meter and you will use what is produced to offset electricity used from the grid. With this option, you are receiving the full retail rate (around 14.5 cents per kWh) for energy that you produce and use yourself. CHEC does not compensate for any excess energy that is pushed back onto the grid with this option. Energy production/use is calculated in real-time.

Bottom line - Because policies vary, we encourage you to please contact us to make sure you have all the facts before purchasing a solar installation. Solar companies may not be familiar with our co-op's policies, and we don't want anyone to enter into an agreement with misinformation.

Ground-mounted and rooftop solar are both home solar solutions, and their differences are highlighted below for your consideration.

Please note that you will need to obtain a permit from Dare County prior to starting your installation. For ground-mount systems, the County requires that the bottom of the panels be at base-flood +1ft (around 9ft above sea level). The elevation of your lot will affect your project plans. Dare County's Planning Department can be reached at (252) 475-5878.

Yes! We support all energy solutions that are a fit for our members, uphold the safety and reliability of our grid and improve the diversity of our resources while also ensuring that costs are not shifted to members without home solar panels. Our nation's electric grid is shifting from a model where large, centrally located generating plants produce power and push it to the far corners of the grid, to a model that incorporates more distributed energy resources and technologies, like home solar. This is an exciting time in our industry, and we want our members to make a choice that is right for them. If your choice leads you to a solar installation, we ask that you please let us know and work with us so you can make informed decisions and incorporate your new installation into our plans for managing electric traffic across our grid. 

For a list of current solar and renewable incentives visit DSIRE for state incentives and Energy Star for federal incentives.

You are welcome to shop around and choose a solar installer that fits your needs and budget. CHEC requires that your solar installer hold the NABCEP PV Installation Professional certificate. They must also be able to have a Professional Engineer stamp the agreement. We recommend getting several quotes before signing a contract.