There are 58 active solar installers within 30 miles of Cary — SunPower and Carolina Solar Energy lead local market share. Cary receives ample NREL peak sun hours per day, making rooftop solar cost-effective at Duke Energy Carolinas's residential electricity rate. Always verify NCLBGC (NC Licensing Board for General Contractors) license status and NABCEP certification, and confirm the installer pulls permits with City of Cary-Wake Building Standards.
Cary, North Carolina: 2026 Market Data
📊 LOCAL MARKET DATA
- Average system size: sized to your usage
- Typical system cost (2026): the 30% federal residential credit (§25D (IRS)) expired Dec 31, 2025 for a purchase; a lease or PPA can still capture it via §48E (IRS)
- Net metering: full retail
- State tax credit: 0%
- Federal residential credit (§25D): expired for homeowner purchases installed after Dec 31, 2025 under §25D (IRS); for a lease or PPA, the installer can still claim 30% via §48E (IRS)
- Median household income: mid-range for the area
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, DSIRE, NREL
Top Solar Companies in Cary: 2026
If you're weighing solar in Cary, it helps to know what's typical before you start collecting quotes. A typical residential system here is sized to your home's energy use. If you purchase a system installed in 2026, note that the federal residential solar tax credit under Section 25D (IRS) expired for homeowner-purchased systems after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 purchase earns no federal credit. However, if you choose a solar lease or PPA, the installer can still claim a 30% credit under Section 48E (IRS) and may pass those savings through as a lower rate — provided construction begins before July 4, 2026, or the system is in service by December 31, 2027. Either way it's a significant investment, so it pays to be deliberate about who you hire. North Carolina doesn't offer a state solar tax credit. For a direct purchase in 2026, the Section 25D federal credit is no longer available, making state and utility programs, along with North Carolina's full retail net metering, the main incentives working in your favor. Full retail net metering means the energy your panels send back can be credited at the full retail rate — worth confirming directly with your utility and any installer you consider, since program terms can change. When you're comparing companies, gather several quotes rather than signing with the first one you talk to. Read the fine print on warranties, financing, and what happens if a panel underperforms. Ask how each installer handles permitting, interconnection, and post-installation support. With a mid-range household income in Cary, a system is a real commitment, so take your time and make sure the numbers and the contract genuinely make sense for your household. This is general information, not tax advice.
Cost Per Watt in Cary: How Cary Compares to the NC State Average
Cost per watt is the cleanest way to compare solar quotes, and Cary homeowners generally land in a favorable spot relative to the rest of North Carolina. Across the state, installed pricing tends to hover in the mid-threes per watt before incentives, and Cary typically comes in slightly below that average thanks to dense installer competition and easier logistics in a major metro area. Rural parts of the state, by contrast, often pay more because crews travel farther and material delivery costs more. On the north side of Cary, the flat-to-rolling terrain and newer rooftops in subdivisions help keep labor predictable, which holds pricing down. Larger systems usually post a lower cost per watt because fixed costs like permitting and design get spread across more panels. When you collect quotes, convert everything to a per-watt figure so you're comparing apples to apples. A bid noticeably above the Cary range deserves a second look at the equipment and warranty terms.