We get asked this question a lot, given that solar panels (aka “modules”) require intensive energy and other resources to manufacture. A subset of environmentalists question how clean and green solar actually is. In fact, Rep. Matt Manweller (R-Ellensburg) asked this question during recent testimony over the proposed solar bill HB 1048 that is working its way through the Washington...
At the end of each year, employee owners of A&R Solar make cash donations to charities that are important to them. A&R Solar now has 13 employee owners (employees are eligible for ownership after three years with the company), up from six in 2015. The organizations receiving cash donations this year are: Rainier Valley Food Bank (two owners chose this nonprofit) ...
We love talking about solar. We get to do it every day. But it’s pretty hard to stay “little picture” when discussing solar with a homeowner or a corporate sustainability executive. Eventually, conversations about renewable energy in Washington and Oregon hit a “big-picture moment,” and we end up talking about the Pacific Northwest’s favorite energy superstar: hydroelectricity. The good news is...
LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.” It is a third-party rating system created by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to verify green buildings and encourage sustainable construction, maintenance, and operation. It’s one of the most prestigious, sought-after, and rigorous certifications in the building industry. A LEED certification signals a commitment to the sustainability, health, and well-being of...
A&R Solar has been named one of Washington's fastest growing private companies by the Puget Sound Business Journal. A&R's revenues totaled more than $12.5 million in 2015, up from $5.7 million in 2014, and just $2.8 million in 2013. The company had 41 full-time employees in January 2016, compared with 27 in 2015, 19 in 2014, and 12 in 2013. A&R specializes...
Conscious Company magazine interviewed A&R Solar CEO Reeves Clippard about the company's philosophy and growth and his vision for the future. What motivated you to make A&R an employee-owned company? RC: I worked for very small companies where I had zero ownership stake, and I worked for mega-national companies where I had zero percent stake, and in both places, there’s this trend...
This post by A&R Solar CEO Reeves Clippard ran in the Huffington Post. Sitting on top of a roof one rainy winter day in Seattle, my coworker and I talked about how we would do things differently if we ran our own solar installation company. Andy and I agreed that we’d interact with our customers differently. We’d really listen to their...
One of A&R Solar's Oregon customers has a home with amazing views of the Deschutes River. The solar PV system consists of SolarWorld panels that are made in Oregon. ...
For the second year in a row, A&R Solar has been named the top solar installer in the state of Washington. A&R Solar employs 37 workers in Washington and Oregon, who installed 3.47 MW of solar in 2015, up from 1.07 MW in 2014. Many of those installations are residential homes across the state and include large-scale projects like Bainbridge Island's...
Editor’s Note: A&R Solar continues to monitor the evolving battery storage market. In addition to waiting for the Tesla Powerwall to become available to installers in the Pacific Northwest, we are also researching other companies that offer similar systems. While the Tesla Powerwall dominates in the media, a competitor is quietly gaining ground in the U.S. storage market. Sonnen, a Germany company...