Winston-Salem, NC – Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina has installed one of the state’s largest rooftop solar arrays at its Winston-Salem headquarters, thanks to clean energy incentives in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The 1-megawatt system, completed in April 2025, is expected to save the nonprofit $143,000 annually—money that will be reinvested into food, education, and workforce programs.
Previously shelved due to cost, the solar project was revived after the food bank learned it could claim a 30% federal tax credit as a direct rebate. Additional bonuses for being in a low-income area and on a former industrial site helped cut the $1.5 million price in half.
The success has inspired other North Carolina nonprofits to explore solar, but looming federal budget legislation threatens to gut these incentives. Provisions in the House-passed bill would impose tight construction deadlines and foreign component restrictions, potentially making future nonprofit solar projects unfeasible.
Advocates hope the Senate will preserve the IRA credits, which have spurred dozens of nonprofit solar installations statewide. Second Harvest warns that losing the incentives could hurt organizations that serve vulnerable communities.
