Even though people complain about rainy Seattle, Washington is full of solar energy. See the work CFNF Alliance member Solar Washington is doing all over Washington state: http://www.iinet.com/~solarwashington/

Covering just the rooftops and the parking lots in the United States with solar PV panels could provide almost all of our electricity needs! See a good example of getting this on at Puget Sound Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training Center in Renton, WA:

In rainy New Hampshire (like rainy Washington), a residential home called Hanover House used a solar hot water heater like the one in Seattle shown below to be about 7 times more efficient than the average American home. Hanover House had other efficient designs, like insulation and south facing windows, but the only fancy feature is this solar hot water heater.

If rainy New Hampshire and rainy Seattle can do it, so can you!