Raleigh might soon have a group-purchasing program that would make it cheaper for residents to install solar panels on their homes. North Carolina Solar Center Director Steve Kalland says solar power is popular among state utilities. They save money buying the costly technology in bulk. Kalland says homeowners are also interested in using cheaper, greener energy.
"The opportunity to do this has been somewhat constrained in North Carolina because the cost of these smaller-scale projects is somewhat higher than the large-scale projects," Kalland says.
The "Solarize Raleigh" program will gather a list of interested homeowners, and connect them with an installation company. The installer would give homeowners a bulk rate. Participants in "Solarize Asheville" have saved an average of 26-percent on their systems. There are also other cost saving incentives available for homeowners using solar power in the state.