Over the past few years, North Carolina has become one of the nation’s leading states for solar energy development and investment. Solar industry advocates are fighting to keep it that way despite cuts to renewable energy initiatives at the federal level.
At the end of 2025, the state’s solar sector finds itself facing headwinds from federal policy changes and tariffs, but seeing new growth opportunities in advances in storage technology and rising demand for distributed power sources, especially in rural areas.
The Tar Heel State ranks fifth for total installed solar capacity, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, which values the state’s solar market at $14.4 billion.
Solar installations are split into three categories: residential, commercial, and utility, which refers to larger-scale projects.