Harvesting Sunshine Produces Big Savings in Raleigh Every year Raleigh is voted one of the best places to live in America. Carolina Dogs, Cheerwine, breathtaking beauty, and a great cost of living. It’s hard to imagine the City of Oaks getting any better than it is right now. But with the rise of residential solar across North Carolina, life in Raleigh is getting even better. By producing clean energy with home solar panels, local residents are preserving Raleigh’s natural beauty and cutting home electricity costs. Since 2007, solar system installs have risen from powering 92 homes in North Carolina to powering over 683,648 homes statewide in 2019 (and counting).