A&R Solar

Big things are happening on the roof at Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue. ☀️

A&R Solar recently installed a 94 kW solar energy system at the Club’s 100th Ave NE facility in Bellevue, featuring 177 high-efficiency Silfab solar modules. The project was funded by a grant from Puget Sound Energy.

Yeah, it was raining for a good chunk of the install.

This system is expected to produce nearly 100,000 kWh of clean energy each year and save the organization nearly $12,000 in energy costs in the first year alone. That number rises to $685,000 over the estimated 25-year life of the system.

That means more long-term savings can go back toward what matters most: supporting kids, families, and the Bellevue community.

Clean energy. Lower operating costs. More resources for young people.

That’s a win we’re proud to be part of!

https://a-rsolar.com

When the install looks so good you have to point at it. 👆☀️

In 2018, Seattle City Light charged $0.115/kWh. In 2026, it's $0.17. That's a 48% increase in 8 years — and the trajectory isn't slowing down.

After 8 years with solar, one of our residential customers paid off 65% of their system cost and only have electricity bills about 4 months of the year. Their break-even timeline has actually accelerated because rates are climbing faster than projected.

The part that stuck with us? "If we can do that in rainy Seattle with trees that block about 40% of our day, you can probably do solar too."

Solar isn't about perfect conditions. It's about whether the math works — and increasingly, it does.

This week we covered everything on your electric bill that matters for solar — annual kWh, rate per kWh, fixed charges, and seasonal patterns. The short version: solar is most impactful when you know your own numbers. Not PNW averages. Not estimates. Your bill. This week, take 15 minutes: grab 12 months of statements, add up your kWh, and note which months hit hardest.

That one exercise makes any solar proposal more accurate and any savings estimate more trustworthy. Questions about what you find? Drop them below — we'll answer every one.

Questions about your bill or your rate structure? Ask us below 👇

In Washington and Oregon, most homes use the most electricity in winter — electric heat, more lighting, shorter days. But solar produces the least in winter. Sounds like a problem. It's not. During spring and summer, your system overproduces. Those extra kWh get credited. In December, those credits come off your bill. The annual math works — even in a cloudy climate. The key is understanding your seasonal usage before you size your system.

Full guide →

Here's the 15-minute exercise that makes every solar conversation better: 1. Pull out your last 12 electric bills 2. Add up your total kWh usage 3. Note your highest-usage months 4. Find your rate per kWh 5. Identify any fixed monthly charges That's it. Those five things give any solar designer everything they need to build an accurate proposal — not a ballpark. Most homeowners skip this. The ones who do it walk into solar conversations with real leverage.

Want a proposal built around your actual bill? We'll build one free.

Solar won't make your electric bill zero.

Here's what it actually does:
✅ Reduces the energy portion of your bill (the kWh-based part)
❌ Does NOT eliminate fixed charges like basic service fees
✅ Can credit surplus production toward future months

The goal isn't zero — it's eliminating the variable part. Knowing the difference sets realistic expectations from day one.

One number on your electric bill matters more than any other when evaluating solar: your annual kWh. Add up 12 months of usage. That's what solar designers use to size your system. A small home might use 6,000–8,000 kWh/year. A home with electric heat? Much more. Know your number before you talk to anyone.

Solar as an operating expense hedge (small business)

For small offices and retail spaces, solar tends to show up on the bill as a reduction in the energy (kWh) portion of charges during operating hours.

When the sun is shining and the business is open, the building simply draws less from the grid.

Depending on the utility and rate structure, demand charges may or may not be significantly affected. If the highest demand spikes occur during sunny hours and the system is large enough, solar can sometimes trim peaks.

In other cases, demand is driven by short-lived events or off-hours loads that solar doesn’t fully capture.