Buncombe County, NC — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

None codified. No confirmed county-specific setbacks.

Buncombe County Board of Adjustment/Board of Commissioners: Special Use Permit (SUP) or Conditional Use Permit (CUP).

Very favorable — Asheville progressive urban; UNCA; active commercial solar; land constraint

W NC; Asheville; progressive mountain city; commercial/community solar primary; limited utility-scale land; UNC-Asheville

Stable

Full local control — no statewide preemption for siting and permitting of utility-scale solar. County Board of Commissioners issues Special Use Permit (SUP) or Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for utility-scale solar under county Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). All sizes subject to local zoning; no threshold for state takeover. NCUC Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) required for utility-owned generation; IPP developers selling to Duke/Dominion under PURPA or competitive procurement typically handle NCUC process through utility. NC DEQ: decommissioning plan registration required for ≥2 MW (SL 2023-58, eff. Nov 1 2025); DEQ rules (15A NCAC 01V) effective April 1, 2025. NC land use law (2021) modernized ordinance language and clarified solar provisions. N.C.G.S. §160D-107: counties may adopt temporary moratoria on solar permits (limited duration, must be reasonable). Davidson County: 24-month moratorium enacted Dec 17, 2024 (expires Dec 2026) while developing new solar ordinance. Halifax County: temporary moratorium Oct 2024 — expired Feb 2025; new ordinance provisions pending. Farmland preservation concerns are the dominant local issue — NC has lost significant prime farmland to solar. Grid: SERC throughout NC. Duke Energy Progress (eastern/central), Duke Energy Carolinas (western/piedmont/mountains), Dominion Energy NC (northeastern corner). NC EMCs serve rural areas as distribution cooperatives.

NC REPS (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard): 12.5% by 2021 (met); Duke Energy Carolina/Progress subject to ongoing carbon plan compliance (100% clean by 2050). Duke Energy CPRE (Competitive Procurement of Renewable Energy) program: ongoing solicitations. NC CPCN process for utility-owned facilities via NCUC. Community solar/Green Source Advantage: Duke Energy program for large commercial customers. Net metering under Duke Energy 'Smart Saver' program (NCUC approved 3-year glide path 2025). Property tax PILOT: county-negotiated agreements common. Utility: Duke Energy Progress (eastern/central NC); Duke Energy Carolinas (western/Piedmont NC); NCEMC and local EMCs serve rural areas.

Woodfin Solar Plant | 5 MW | Woodfin, Buncombe County | Duke Energy Progress | operational August 2024 | 25 acres of retired landfill | 25-year land lease with Buncombe County | NCUC CPCN approved. Asheville Solar Plant | 9.5 MW | Arden, Buncombe County | Duke Energy Progress | NCUC CPCN issued August 2023 | Buncombe County SUP granted May 2023 | construction 2025 | target operational 2026 (Duke Energy Western Carolinas Modernization Project).

No confirmed denials for Buncombe County. Both Duke Energy projects received county SUP and NCUC CPCN. County is supportive of Western Carolinas clean energy transition.