150 NC residents produce solar power with Progress Energy

SunSense was launched in 2011 and offers upfront and ongoing incentives, including rebates and bill credits, to North Carolina residents who are accepted.

"We're committed to offering our customers programs that help reduce their personal environmental impact and advance the development and deployment of renewable energy technology," Lloyd Yates, president and CEO of Progress Energy, said.

The company anticipates 200 to 300 small-scale solar panel interconnections each year, and this number is expected to grow as more tax incentives become available.

As the program grows, Progress Energy is also conducting studies to determine how reliable and effective alternative energy is. The utility is working with the Electric Power Research Institute in an 18-month study to evaluate the effects of widespread, small-scale solar photovoltaic systems on the electric grid. The two organizations are collecting data to study the potential benefits and impacts of installing multiple solar electric generators with variable outputs in concentrated areas.