- Growing menu of options offers customers more savings and
better control over how they use their energy
- Some incentives have doubled or even tripled
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 6, 2025
/PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has increased incentives and
eligibility for many of its residential and business energy
efficiency and demand response programs in North Carolina, expanding ways customers can
save energy and money. The updates were approved by the North
Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) and launched on Jan. 1, 2025.
"We're just getting into the heart of the winter season when
extreme temperatures can lead to an increase in energy use," said
Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy North
Carolina state president. "Some of our program incentives have
doubled – or even tripled – making now the most rewarding time to
make energy efficiency improvements or enroll in programs at your
home or business to help save."
Residential program incentive increases
Customers can better manage their energy use and save energy and
money with energy efficiency programs. Through demand response
programs, customers can receive bill credits when they choose to
shift their use to lower energy demand periods. Duke Energy has
increased incentives for five residential programs and expanded
four residential programs.
Residential programs with increased incentives include:
- Home Energy House Call – this free home energy assessment
program helps customers better understand their energy use and find
ways to save energy and money by being more efficient. Customers
can now receive free energy efficiency products customized to their
individual needs that can be installed at no charge during their
energy assessment. Virtual options for the energy assessment are
also available for eligible customers.
- Smart $aver® home improvement rebate – this program rewards
customers with rebates when making energy-efficient upgrades to
their home. HVAC, insulation, water heaters and heat pump
incentives have increased from $350
to $500 and pool pump incentives have
tripled from $300 to $900.
- Power Manager® and EnergyWise Home® – customers with electric
heat enrolled in these programs receive bill credits for shifting
their energy use away from peak periods. They may receive an
incentive as much as $150 upfront
plus $50 per year, depending on which
devices they enroll. New for 2025, customers with an electric water
heater can also receive an extra $25
per year.
For more information on all residential program incentives that
have increased in 2025, visit the Duke Energy website.
Business program incentive increases
Duke Energy has also increased energy efficiency and demand
response incentives for business customers. This includes
PowerShare®, a voluntary large user load curtailment program that
has increased capacity credits for decreasing energy use from
$3.50 to $5 per kW. EnergyWise Business, a
program similar to PowerShare but for smaller business customers,
has increased customer incentives from $30 to $50 per
average kW saved. In both business programs, customers determine
what steps they take to reduce energy consumption.
Many of the company's energy efficiency business program
incentive amounts have increased on average 20%-25%. A Duke Energy
Business Energy Advisor can recommend smart measures for commercial
and industrial customers to save energy and money. For more
information on business programs and increased incentives, visit
duke-energy.com/GetSavings.
Assistance programs expanding
Duke Energy is committed to serving its customers and
communities and offers programs and resources to help customers who
may be experiencing a time of uncertainty or are having trouble
paying utility expenses due to financial hardships. Programs and
services for Duke Energy qualifying customers have also been
updated for 2025 to offer more options for energy savings for those
who need it most. These changes include:
- Weatherization – incentives have increased for this free
program that helps income-qualified customers reduce expenses and
save energy through the installation of energy conservation
measures around their homes. Among other incentives, the HVAC
replacement incentive has increased from $6,000 to $8,000
and the refrigerator replacement has increased from $1,000 to $1,500.
The program has also expanded its service providers and broadened
eligibility for participation. Participating customers must have an
income of less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
- A new income-qualified demand response program offered by Duke
Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress allows electric heat
customers who have previously qualified for a Duke Energy
income-qualified program to receive a free smart thermostat,
installed at no cost. Customers will receive incentives in the form
of bill credits for shifting energy use during peak demand, up to
$150 depending on how they choose to
participate. The program is open to customers who have previously
qualified for the Neighborhood Energy Saver, Weatherization or High
Energy Use pilot programs.
- Neighborhood Energy $aver – incentives have increased for this
free program that offers walk-through energy assessments to help
customers learn how their homes use energy and lower monthly
electric bills as well as a variety of free energy-saving products.
Customers for the program qualify based on the neighborhood they
reside in. Qualifying neighborhoods must meet 50% of residents or
more with an income of less than 200% of the Federal Poverty
Guidelines.
Duke Energy continues to offer additional resources for
limited-income customers, including:
- Customer Assistance Program (CAP) – a 12-month program that
provides a monthly credit of up to $42 to qualifying customers.
- Share the Light Fund® – assistance for customers who need help
paying their energy bill.
- Installment Plans – customized payment plans to break down
charges into more manageable installments, helping make larger
amounts more manageable.
Winter savings tips to help save on energy bills
Duke Energy's programs and tips can help customers save energy
and money by providing them the tools they need to make informed
decisions for their household energy use.
Tracking energy usage and making small adjustments within your
home or business can help unlock energy savings. More information
on energy-saving solutions and low- to no-cost energy-saving tips
and projects can be found on the Duke Energy Winter Energy Savings
webpage: duke-energy.com/SeasonalSavings.
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
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-year-bigger-incentives-as-temperatures-fall-in-the-carolinas-duke-energy-increases-financial-incentives-for-customer-energy-efficiency-and-demand-response-programs-302343090.html
SOURCE Duke Energy