Solar and Home Battery Backup in Gaston County

Seven electric providers in one county

Before anyone sizes a system, figure out who sends your bill. In Gaston County it could be any of these:

• City of Gastonia electric, which serves a large share of the county's homes
• Duke Energy Carolinas, which serves a similarly large share
• Rutherford EMC and EnergyUnited, both member-owned cooperatives, on rural lines
• The town systems in Dallas, Cherryville and part of Kings Mountain

Gastonia uses a buy all, sell all approach for customer solar, so a battery that keeps your own power in the house often pencils out better than exporting. Duke customers can ask whether PowerPair still has capacity.

Mill villages, big oaks and the river towns

Gaston County's older mill neighborhoods in Gastonia, Cramerton, McAdenville and Lowell have tall oaks and closely spaced houses. Shade is the first thing a contractor should measure. Some of those roofs work well, others are better served by a battery and generator plan without panels.

West of Dallas the county opens into farmland and woods toward Cherryville and Crowders Mountain. Out there, homes often run on wells and propane, and summer thunderstorms and the occasional ice storm can leave rural lines down longer than in town.

Along the Catawba and South Fork rivers, newer subdivisions have cleaner roofs but HOA rules worth reading before you sign anything.

Permits and Gastonia's solar steps

Gaston County Building Inspections handles building and electrical permits for the unincorporated county and, since a 2022 consolidation, for the City of Gastonia as well. Inside Gastonia you get a city zoning permit first.

If Gastonia is your electric provider, the city asks you to complete its interconnection application and sign an interconnection agreement before construction begins. The owner pays for the second meter and any interconnection work. The city treats solar credits as taxable income and asks for a W-9.

Customers of Dallas, Cherryville, Kings Mountain or the co-ops should have the contractor confirm current interconnection rules in writing. Every contractor on HomeBackupPros is checked for an NC electrical contractor license.

A $349 evaluation instead of a waiting list

Plenty of Gaston County homeowners have called three solar companies and heard back from none. HomeBackupPros works differently.

You can book a paid home energy evaluation for $349. An approved contractor does an electric audit, reviews how your home uses energy, and gives you a written quote for solar, a battery or a generator. If you buy the system from that contractor, the $349 comes off the purchase price.

If you would rather start smaller, some contractors offer a free site visit or an estimate based on your bills. Enter your monthly kWh, what runs on gas or electric, and your goal, from a lower bill to a few days of backup.