Duke HERO – Builder Rebate Program
DUKE HERO – BUILDER REBATE PROGRAM
The Duke Energy Progress (DEP) Residential New Construction (RNC) Program is expanding to all Duke Energy jurisdictions in North Carolina which includes Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC)!! DEC homes that were permitted on or after 1/7/2022 will be eligible for incentives and can be submitted for payment starting on 8/1/2022.
Homes in the Upstate of South Carolina served by Duke Energy are now eligible for incentives in the RNC Program.
Any qualifying homes in Duke Energy Carolinas territory in South Carolina permitted on or after 12/8/2022 are eligible for incentives and can be submitted in the RNC Program. Homes in South Carolina will follow the same incentive structure as North Carolina, whether the home is in Progress or Carolinas territory respectively. Homes in South Carolina will use the South Carolina building code as the reference home in Ekotrope. The RNC Program team will let participants know when Ekotrope is live for submissions in South Carolina.
Learn how to earn CASH BACK by building more energy-efficient homes!
Save energy and money for your business through Duke Energy’s incentives program. With these rebates and incentives, you can significantly reduce your upfront project costs and gain financial leverage to make upgrades that will save energy and money!
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Duke Energy Progress (DEP)
HERO Only
+ Annual energy use is less than a HERO reference home
+ Blower door target: 4 ACH50 or less
+ 90% or greater efficient lighting
Cash Back: $750/home
HERO + HERS Score
+ Annual energy use is less than a HERO reference home
+ Blower door target: 4 ACH50 or less
+ 90% or greater efficient lighting
Cash Back: Up to $9,000/home
Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC)
HERO Only
+ Annual energy use is less than a HERO reference home
+ Blower door target: 4 ACH50 or less
+ 90% or greater efficient lighting
Cash Back: $650/home
HERO + HERS Score
Annual energy use is less than a HERO reference home
+ Blower door target: 4 ACH50 or less
+ 90% or greater efficient lighting
Cash Back: Up to $6,000/home
Interested in learning more?
Performance Point is here to help.
Equipment Incentives
You can earn up to $750 (DEP) and up to $300 (DEC) for specific high-efficiency equipment such as water heaters and heating and cooling systems. This is a great pathway if you don’t pass the Whole Home Pathway!
Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) Summary
The RNC program can provide up to $6,000 in rebates per home! Choose from the Whole House Pathway or the Equipment Pathway!
Whole House Incentives: HERO+HERS:
$0.75/kWh for heating savings only in homes with a natural gas furnace.
$0.40/kWh for heating savings only in homes with electrically fueled heating.
All other savings types in homes will be incentivized at $0.75/kWh.
HERO-only homes will receive $650 / home.
Home heating fuel type examples on HERO+HERS incentives:
Current DEP Incentive avg (electric heated home): $3,560
Estimated incentive avg under DEC payment structure (electric heated
home): $2,303
Current DEP Incentive avg (gas-heated home): $1,581
Estimated incentive avg under DEC payment structure (gas-heated home):
$1,413
Equipment Incentives:
$300 for qualifying central air and heat pump systems.
Duke Energy Progress (DEP) Summary
To qualify, the equipment must meet the 2012 NCECC HERO standards and the efficiency requirements outlined below.
The RNC program can provide up to $9,000 in rebates per home! Choose from the Equipment Pathway or the Whole House Pathway.
Equipment Incentives:
- $250 for AC or heat pump with SEER of 14 or greater but less than 15.
- $300-$375 for AC or heat pump with SEER of 15.
- $350/unit for Energy star heat pump water heater with minimum energy factor of 2.0.
- Duke Energy RNC Program
- Equipment-only SEER Requirement Update
- Keeping in line with the upcoming DOE HVAC SEER changes, the RNC program will be making changes to the SEER requirements for equipment only incentives. Beginning with submissions on or after May 1, 2023, equipment-only applications will need to be 16+ SEER to be eligible for the $300 equipment only incentive for all Duke Energy homes in North or South Carolina. Prior to May 1, 2023, the RNC Program will continue to accept 15 SEER applications.
Whole House Incentives:
- $750 per home HERO prescriptive.
- A builder is eligible for rebates up to $9,000 depending on the amount of kilowatt-hours (kWh) saved.
- This pathway requires that all homes achieve 4 ACH50 on blower door testing and 4% duct leakage to outside on duct blaster testing. All Energy Star homes already achieve this as part of the EPA requirements. All rebates are based on kWh savings.
Steps to Participate:
- Call on Performance Point, LLC.
We will evaluate your current plans, suggest trade-offs, project your rebates, and process the applications. - Apply at duke-energy.com/rncbuilder.
- Make Improvements/Upgrades.
- Get Verified – We will inspect each home at least two times: at insulation/rough-in and at final. The inputs we verify and gather onsite will be fed into that home’s energy model. After HERO compliance is confirmed at the final, we will submit the needed documentation to the program.
- Receive your Cash Back $$$! – It usually takes 4-6 weeks to arrive.
Interested in learning more?
Performance Point is here to help. Let us help you!