- Clean Energy Connection subscribers can earn monthly bill
credits for solar energy generated by participation, without
installing solar panels
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 16,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has made proposals
to the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the Public Service
Commission of South Carolina to
help customers in both states to receive the benefits of solar
energy without the commitment and expense of installing and
maintaining rooftop panels. The company's new proposed Clean Energy
Connection (CEC) program is designed to allow customers to
subscribe to new, utility-owned solar energy facilities, pay a
monthly subscription fee and receive a bill credit for solar
produced, at no extra cost to non-participating
customers.
If approved, the CEC program will be available to large
commercial customers, small- and medium-sized business customers
and residential customers in the Carolinas. The program was
filed with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina in late December 2024 and with the North Carolina
Utilities Commission in early January
2025.
The CEC program builds upon years of stakeholder engagement that
yielded an expansion of program options for customers to have
access to solar in the Carolinas, including the recently approved
Green Source Advantage (GSA) Choice in North Carolina and Renewable Choice, Clean
Energy Impact and expansion of GSA in South Carolina. These programs were developed
after extensive conversations with customers, and other key
stakeholders to learn more about what is needed for customers to
achieve their carbon and sustainability goals.
"Employers and economic development prospects look to Duke
Energy to help them reach their sustainability goals in ways that
fit their individual needs," said Meghan
Dewey, vice president of products and services for Duke
Energy. "The proposed Clean Energy Connection program helps us meet
those needs by expanding opportunities for customers to subscribe
to renewable energy right here in the Carolinas."
How the Clean Energy Connection program works
The program leverages competitively procured solar necessary for
the system. Customers may subscribe to a portion of that
solar energy from Duke Energy's CEC solar portfolio in 1-kilowatt
(kW) increment subscriptions associated with the program's solar
facilities. The monthly subscription fee is conveniently added to a
customer's regular electric bill.
Customers also receive a corresponding subscription credit that
represents their share of energy produced by the solar centers in a
given month, multiplied by the subscription credit rate, which
begins to escalate annually after three continuous years of
subscription in the program. Participating customers will also
have the rights to the environmental benefits of that renewable
energy without directly owning the generating facility, and these
benefits can be used to help achieve their own environmental and
sustainability goals.
The financial impact from the program benefits all customers
without penalizing non-participating customers.
If approved, the program will be open to current and future Duke
Energy customers in 2027, when the new solar facilities are
expected to come online. Current customers with more than 12 months
of billing history at their residence can match the subscription
level needed to their usage. Customers who do not have 12 months of
billing history at their residence can enroll in the program at a
baseline level of 1 kW per month for residential or nonresidential
and adjust their subscription once they have passed the 12-month
mark.
Income-qualified participation
Customers who have a household income at or below 200% of the
Federal Poverty Guidelines, or who can present proof of
participation in local, state or federal assistance, will also be
able to participate in the CEC program, if approved.
Customers who are income-qualified will have a subscription fee.
The bill credit per subscription will be fixed to ensure that the
bill credit is $1/kW per month higher
than the subscription fee – locking in a net benefit for them. The
funding to ensure this net benefit for income-qualified customers
is provided by other CEC program participants, meaning there is no
subsidy from non-participating customers.
All Duke Energy customers in North
Carolina and South Carolina
who are interested in the CEC program can learn more at Duke
Energy's website:
https://www.duke-energy.com/CEConnection
https://www.duke-energy.com/CEConnectionBiz
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in
Charlotte, N.C., is one of
America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric
utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky, and collectively own
54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities
serve 1.7 million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition,
keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the
forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions
from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions
from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in
major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including
expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and
nuclear.
More information is available at duke-energy.com and the
Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy
on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for
stories about the people and innovations powering our energy
transition.
Contact: Logan Stewart
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_LoganS
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SOURCE Duke Energy