How to Lower Your Duke Electric Bill

Duke Energy Bill Too High? Beat Rising Electricity Prices with Solar Power

Learn How to Lower Your Duke Energy Bill & Get Peace of Mind with Sunrun

According to a recent report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), South Carolina residents spend over $400 more on their energy bills compared with the average American homeowner.¹ Fortunately, solar system prices continue to fall in the U.S.², and switching to solar energy today is one of the best moves you can make to put a stop to rising electricity rates while also increasing your energy savings and reducing your carbon emissions.

As the nation’s largest dedicated residential solar provider, at Sunrun, we’ll work hard to create the ideal solar plan for your unique budget and needs, so you can potentially save thousands of dollars during the next 25 years on your energy usage.³ But before going through how solar benefits you and your family, let’s talk about who Duke Energy is, and the actions they’re taking to keep your community cleaner, healthier and safer.

Who Is Duke Energy and How Many Customers Do They Have?

Duke Energy Corporation is one of the largest electric power companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy delivers electricity to around 7.6 million customers in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Carolina; as well as natural gas services to more than 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.⁴

Not a Duke Energy Customer? Find your SC electric company.

5 Simple Ways to Save Energy and Money in South Carolina

1. Increase your home’s energy efficiency by setting your air conditioner’s thermostat to 78 degrees when you’re in and to 80 degrees when you’re out during the summer⁵, and to 68 degrees when you’re in and to 69 degrees when you’re out during the winter. Or better yet, upgrade to a smart thermostat so it can adjust your cooling and heating patterns automatically depending on if you’re home or not.
2. If your home has rooms with large windows, keep the curtains or blinds closed during summer daylight hours and opened during winter daylight hours to avoid extreme temperatures.
3. 10% to 20% of your cooling and heating may be escaping through air leaks.⁶ If you suspect your home is losing energy, a DIY home energy checkup could help you pinpoint some of the easier areas to address in windows, doors, and walls before contacting a professional. View a simple guide for a DIY home energy audit.
4. Replace your light bulbs with LEDs. LEDs use up to 90% less energy, and last at least 15 times longer than regular bulbs.⁷ Plus, Duke Energy offers free and discounted LED products to eligible customers. Check your eligibility.
5. Plug your non-basic electronics into power strips and turn the strip off when you’re not using them. Power strips save you money and give you surge protection, too.

LEARN MORE WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR POWER USAGE IN LONG ISLAND.

Finding ways to save on your electricity bill isn’t complicated. Yet, if you truly want to take control of your home energy while reducing your carbon emissions, you should consider installing a home solar system.

Benefits of Going Solar for Duke Energy Customers⁸

At Sunrun, we strive day in and day out to make solar affordable to more Americans because we believe having access to clean, reliable energy is a game-changer for families and communities.

• Solar could save you thousands of dollars on your future billing cycles.*
• Solar protects you against unpredictable electric rates for years to come.
• Solar reduces your carbon emissions, a major contributing factor to extreme weather.
• Home solar systems work year-round. Yes, even on cloudy days!
• You have several options to go solar. For example, at Sunrun you’re able to lease, prepay, finance or purchase a new set of customized solar panels to your unique home energy needs. Besides, with our BrightSave™ Monthly and BrightAdvantage™ solar journeys start at little to $0 down.
• Purchasing a home solar system in South Carolina could increase your home value by 3% or more.⁹
• Home solar systems are designed to last 30 years or longer.¹⁰
• Solar creates thousands of good American jobs.¹¹
• As a South Carolina solar customer, you’ll be eligible for some great solar incentives, like Net Energy Metering credits for the excess energy your solar panels generate. And, if you decide to purchase your home solar system in South Carolina, you’ll receive a hefty 30% federal solar investment tax credit along with an additional 25% state solar tax credit.

What is Net Energy Metering? And How Does it Affect Your Duke Energy Bill?

Duke Energy will measure the number of kilowatt-hours your solar panels generate each month vs. the amount of energy your home consumes from the grid. This difference is called Net Energy Metering or NEM, and Duke Energy uses it to calculate your solar electric bill.¹³

When your panels produce more power than you need, you may receive a credit or get paid for the excess energy you exported back to Duke Energy’s grid. Learn how to read your Duke Energy NEM bill.

Duke Energy’s Sustainable Initiatives

Duke Energy is committed to responsible stewardship of the environment, that’s why they’re continuously developing innovative energy-efficiency programs and renewable energy projects to benefit the wellbeing of the communities where Duke Energy operates.

Here are four actions Duke Energy is taking to build a cleaner future:

1. Since 1999, Duke Energy has invested billions of dollars in environmental-control equipment to reduce carbon emissions from their power plants. These efforts have reduced sulfur dioxide emissions by 90% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 68%.¹⁴
2. Boosting accessibility of electric vehicles to Duke Energy customers by offering a $3,000 incentive to purchase a new Nissan Leaf, in addition to the federal tax credit of up to $7,500¹⁵ — that’s around $10,500 in savings!
3. Reducing the impact of Duke Energy’s operations on lands, water, and habitats to deliver reliable energy services while keeping your community and wildlife in the area safer and healthier.¹⁶
4. Monitoring lakes, rivers and shorelines to ensure plants and animals not native to the area are kept under control. These actions help protect Duke Energy’s power production, as well as your community’s drinking water and the use of lakes and rivers for recreational purposes.¹⁷

The Time To Go Solar is Now

Sunrun is the nation’s largest residential solar and battery storage company providing clean, reliable electricity to households with little to no upfront cost. We’re here for you every step of the way from design and installation to maintenance.

Plus, you receive predictable pricing and energy security for 25 years or more.  If you would like to go solar, and protect yourself from rising electricity rates and potential long term outages in your area, contact Sunrun today. Get a free quote, see if you qualify.