2017 Project of the Year Competition – $1,000 Award

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Dear APsystems installer,

It’s been another great year for APsystems and we have you, our solar partners, to thank for it. You’ve put our advanced microinverter technology to work for customers in markets across the country.

Now it’s time once again to look back on the great solar successes of the past year and share your very best stories with the industry and the world.

 

Tell us about your very best project – what set it apart in terms of scale, design, power output, challenging conditions, or your creative application of APsystems microinverter technology.

We’d like you to submit the project details here, including a brief write-up about your best installation, or more – enter all the projects you like. Remember to include some high-res photographs and any close-ups showing our microinverters in action.  Your project can be completed or still in process. Entries will be judged by our APsystems team.

We’ll be honoring top projects in both Residential and Commercial categories.

And we’ll announce the APsystems Solar Project of the Year Award winners early in the new year through announcements and promotions that will highlight your project and your company. APsystems is committed to helping you grow your solar business even as we grow ours, so this is a cross-promotion opportunity you’ll definitely want to take advantage of.

The winner in each category will receive $1,000.

Our contest last year generated great interest from installers and brought out some fantastic projects; you can see the winners here.

Now we’re excited to present this competition, highlighting the very best APsystems microinverter installations of 2017.

Submit your project entries here by January 5th 2018. Please read the terms and conditions before entering.

If you have any questions, please contact our marketing coordinator.

Thank you for partnership and support, and for a great 2017 for our company and yours.
Your friends at APsystems USA

Bombard Renewable Energy wins this year’s APsystems Solar Project of the Year Award in the Commercial category

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When the state of Nevada established a pilot program to bring solar power to marginalized communities, Bombard Renewable Energy delivered.

The Las Vegas based Solar PV contractor completed a string of projects for prominent area nonprofit agencies, putting the power of solar to work for citizens and agencies not often served by renewable PV resources.

For helping bring solar power to the nonprofit sector, Bombard Renewable Energy has earned the APsystems Project of the Year Award in the Commercial category.

“Nonprofit organizations are an overlooked segment of the commercial solar market, but that’s changing thanks to solar installation leaders like Bombard,” said Jason Higginson, senior director of marketing for APsystems USA. “We’re proud to see our microinverter products supporting the good work of so many worthy nonprofit agencies.”

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Bombard Renewable Energy is honored for a quintet of service-sector projects in the Las Vegas area, including:

  • HELP of Southern Nevada – An 81kW mix of rooftop arrays and solar carports supports an agency that assists families and individuals attain self-sufficiency through direct services, training and resource referrals.
  • Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada – An ambitious 242kW system provides nearly all the power needed for this facility, whose mission is to enable all young people to reach their full potential as caring, responsible citizens.
  • Las Vegas Rescue Mission – Rooftop arrays and solar carports totaling 125 kW support the mission complex that provides care, support and meals to the homeless and addicted population.
  • Veterans Village – A 48kW rooftop array powers an important regional center providing transitional and permanent housing for United States veterans in need.
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities – The 28kW shade structure supports the center’s mission of providing temporary housing for families who travel to Las Vegas to receive critical medical treatment for their children.

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The projects were built through Nevada’s Low Income Solar Energy Pilot Program, established by the state legislature several years ago to benefit low-income customers, including, without limitation, homeless shelters, low-income housing developments and schools with significant populations of low-income students.

Bombard Renewable Energy contracted with NV Energy for the engineering and construction of the projects, said Bo Balzar, Bombard Renewable Energy Division Manager.

Bombard chose APsystems’ YC1000 true 3-phase microinverters for the installations.

“Superior durability combined with a comprehensive warranty and exceptional design flexibility made APsystems the obvious choice for our projects,” Radford said. “APsystems is the only microinverter technology we found which supports both 60-cell modules at 240V and 72-cell modules at 208 and 480V 3-phase systems.”

Lighthouse & Bombard earn prestigious APsystems Project of the Year awards

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2016-iconCongratulations to Lighthouse Solar of Austin, Texas, and Bombard Renewable Energy of Las Vegas, Nevada, winners of APsystems Project of the Year Awards.

Lighthouse Solar is honored in the Residential category for their efforts in making PV systems a more standard feature in planned solar communities in the San Antonio area.

Bombard Renewable Energy is honored for bringing solar to a number of prominent nonprofit facilities in its market, helping local service organizations achieve energy self-sufficiency.
“Lighthouse Solar and Bombard Renewable Energy are showing real leadership as solar installers,” said Jason Higginson, senior director of marketing for APsystems USA. “We’re proud to have them as solar partners, and to highlight the excellent work they’re doing in their communities and the industry.”
Read more about Lighthouse Solar’s winning project here.
Read more about Bombard’s winning entry here.
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Lighthouse Solar wins this year’s APsystems Solar Project of the Year Award in the Residential category

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It’s not unusual these days for homebuilders to offer solar as a “buyer option,” a splashy add-on that the purchaser may or may not decide is worth the extra cost.

Yet others across the industry see a renewable energy system on a new home as simply one more element of design, as intrinsic as windows and doors, plumbing and lights.

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“Solar as standard” could be the mantra for Lighthouse Solar. Partnering with real estate developer PSW, the Austin, Texas-based installer is powering new planned solar communities throughout the region in which PV on the roof is expected as the roof itself.

Prototypical is the 330 Clay Street project, a new 32-home development in San Antonio’s stylish arts district, where every home will be powered by APsystems microinverter systems.

2016-iconFor its leadership at 330 Clay and in the greater regional market, Lighthouse Solar wins this year’s APsystems Solar Project of the Year Award in the Residential category.

“Lighthouse and its partners are showing the way forward for solar in new construction,” said Jason Higginson, senior director of marketing for APsystems USA. “Making new homes energy self-sufficient should be a given, and the APsystems module-level solution makes it both achievable and affordable.”

Now celebrating its tenth year of operations in the fast-growing Texas market (the company’s New York unit is under separate ownership), Lighthouse sees planned solar communities as the next frontier.

At Clay Street, PV comes standard with every home as part of a larger sustainability package. The typical array is around 3kW, and the systems are designed to offset up to 50 percent of projected household usage.

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Some homeowners manage their consumption such that the systems offset up to 80 percent, according to Stan Pipkin, Lighthouse Solar vice president and managing director.

Lighthouse began using APsystems microinverters last year after consultation with The Power Store, a regional distributor. Lighthouse installer teams found the integration to be “simple, as advertised,” Pipkin says.

“We were looking at a distributed solution that can scale effectively with the smaller systems at the planned community,” he says. “The systems are also designed to be able to scale as people move into the homes and get used to living with their solar system. The module-level performance offers a design flexibility to ensure parity among all the homeowners in the community.”

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It’s a template that Lighthouse and its partners are carrying forward into the new year. More than 200 new solar-standard homes are slated to come online in several other new PSW planned communities.

“We thank APsystems for the honor and acknowledgement,” Pipkin says. “We look forward to more innovative and performative projects that APsystems technology is enabling.”

2016 Project of the Year Competition – $1,000 Award

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Dear APsystems installer,

It’s been another great year for APsystems and we have you, our solar partners, to thank for it. You’ve put our advanced microinverter technology to work for customers in markets across the country.

Now it’s time once again to look back on the great solar successes of the past year and share your very best stories with the industry and the world.

 2016-installation-image

Tell us about your very best project – what set it apart in terms of scale, design, power output, challenging conditions, or your creative application of APsystems microinverter technology.

We’d like you to submit the project details here, including a brief write-up about your best installation, or more – enter all the projects you like. Remember to include some high-res photographs and any close-ups showing our microinverters in action.  Your project can be completed or still in process. Entries will be judged by our APsystems team.

We’ll be honoring top projects in both Residential and Commercial categories.

And we’ll announce the APsystems Solar Project of the Year Award winners early in the new year through announcements and promotions that will highlight your project and your company. APsystems is committed to helping you grow your solar business even as we grow ours, so this is a cross-promotion opportunity you’ll definitely want to take advantage of.

The winner in each category will receive $1,000.

Our contest last year generated great interest from installers and brought out some fantastic projects; you can see the winners here.

Now we’re excited to present this competition, highlighting the very best APsystems microinverter installations of 2016.

Submit your project entries by January 6th 2017 using the form at right and high resolution photos sent via email to media@APsystems.com. Please read the terms and conditions below before entering.

If you have any questions, please contact our marketing coordinator.

Thank you for partnership and support, and for a great 2016 for our company and yours.
Your friends at APsystems USA

Studio 804, Valley Unique Electric earn APsystems Project of the Year Awards

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Studio 804 at the University of Kansas, and Valley Unique Electric/Solar Universe of Fresno, Calif., have earned APsystems 2015 Project of the Year Awards.

The awards honor outstanding solar installations that showcase APsystems microinverter technology in their design and construction. Studio 804 is recognized in the residential project category, and Valley Unique Electric for a commercial installation.

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“The Studio 804 and Valley Unique Electric projects exemplify the very best use of APsystems solar microinverter technology,” said Jason Higginson, Director of Marketing at APsystems. “From smaller, residential-scale arrays to expansive commercial installations, APsystems microinverters are the choice for innovative PV applications like these. We’re very proud to honor Studio 804 and Valley Unique Electric for these excellent projects.”

Studio 804, a nonprofit organization that supports the graduate program of the University of Kansas Department of Architecture, Design and Planning, is honored for its East Lawrence Passive House in Lawrence, Kan.

Designed and built by graduate students and sited in a historic residential district, the home uses renewable building materials and leading-edge systems to optimize energy efficiency.

Students included a 6kW rooftop solar array using APsystems YC500 dual-module microinverters to help the homeowners achieve energy independence.

“Holistic home design cannot be achieved without the consideration for solar applications,” said Dan Rockhill, University of Kansas architecture professor and Studio 804 advisor. “Taking proactive steps in monitoring and maintaining one’s energy consumption is prudent in today’s society. We were fortunate enough to partner with APsystems. The application, installation, and maintenance of their microinverters was straightforward. The ease at which our students were able to integrate the microinverters into the PV system was extremely successful, and the current homeowner could not be happier with the final product.”

Learn more about this project here.

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Valley Unique Electric/Solar Universe is honored for its Fort Washington Country Club installation in Fresno, Calif.

The ambitious commercial project saw construction of towering carports with almost 36,000 square feet of roof space for solar to power the country club’s operations.

Across seven rooftops, 429 APsystems YC1000 true 3-phase microinverters serve more than 1,700 modules for a system capacity of 529kW.

“Solar carports are strong in Fresno, and we dominate the local market in putting them up,” said Hogi Selling IV, Valley Unique Electric president. “APsystems microinverters have been a key component of projects like the country club, and have proven themselves in the tough, hot conditions of the valley.”

Learn more about this project here.

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The APsystems Project of the Year Awards are given annually to highlight innovative use of APsystems solar microinverter products. Previous honorees have showcased the company’s microinverter technology in an agricultural setting and atop a landmark heritage building in Washington D.C.

APsystems 2015 Solar Project of the Year Awards

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Dear APsystems installer,

It’s been another great year for APsystems and we have you, our solar partners, to thank. You’ve put our advanced microinverter technology to work for customers in markets across the country.

Now it’s time once again to look back on the great solar successes of the past year and share our very best stories with the industry and the world.

APsystems invites you to nominate your projects for our Solar Project of the Year Awards.

Tell us about your very best project — what set it apart in terms of scale, design, power output, challenging conditions, or your creative application of APsystems microinverter technology.

We’d like you to submit the project details here, including a brief write-up about your best installation, or more – enter all the projects you like. Remember to include some high-res photographs from several perspectives, a macro view of the installation and some close-ups of our microinverters in the array.  Your project can be completed or still in process. Entries will be judged by our APsystems team.

We’ll be honoring top projects in both Residential and Commercial categories.

And we’ll announce the APsystems Solar Project of the Year Award winners early in the new year through promotions that highlight your project and your company. APsystems is committed to helping you grow your solar business even as we grow ours, so this is a cross-promotion opportunity you’ll want to take advantage of.

The winner in each category will receive at $500 gift card!

Our contest last year generated great interest from installers and brought out some fantastic projects; you can see the winners here.

Now we’re excited to present a competition, highlighting the very best APsystems microinverter installations of 2015.

Submit your project entries here by January 8th 2016. 

Thank you for partnership and support, and a great 2015 for our company and yours.

Your friends at APsystems USA

Solar Power World Top Contractors gala: A look back

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Solar Power World magazine has posted a video flashback to its Top Solar Contractors Gala, the premier social event at Solar Power International 2015 in Anaheim.

Sponsored by APsystems, the evening honored leading solar professionals from around the industry through an evening of fine dining and camaraderie.

“It was an incredible way to showcase a lot of the work our industry has done over this last year,” one honoree tells the SPW camera crew.

Watch this video and relive this gala evening.

SPW pays homage to the industry’s Top Solar Products in this month’s edition, including a profile of the industry-leading APsystems YC500 microinverter. The product profile appears on page 43 of the print and digital edition.

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tenKsolar, RR Lane Solar Distributing earn APS Project of the Year Awards

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APSaward-iconFrom the rooftops of landmark buildings to ground-mount arrays on rural farmsteads, solar power can find a place in just about any setting.

We asked our APS partners to send us their best, most outstanding solar installations from the past year, and that’s exactly what they sent us.

Now APS is proud to congratulate tenKsolar and RR Lane Solar Distributing for earning Project of the Year Awards for commercial and residential applications, respectively.

Find out about these dynamic examples of solar ingenuity and APS technology at work in challenging applications, and join us in congratulating tenKsolar and RR Lane Solar Distributing for their inspiring efforts.

Read about tenKsolar’s DAR Constitution Hall project here  and RR Lane’s Bauer residential/agricultural project here.

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APS Commercial Project of the Year AWARD WINNER: tenKsolar, DAR Constitution Hall installation, Washington, D.C.

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The Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall is the largest concert space in Washington, D.C., and one of the most revered buildings in the nation’s capital.

Bringing solar to this National Historic Landmark Building posed an exceptional challenge: any renovation or addition would have to preserve the architectural integrity of the structure – including the roof.

TenKsolar and installer Standard Solar met the challenge with the proprietary REFLECT PV system, which includes APS YC500 microinverters.

For this outstanding application of APS microinverter technology atop one of the nation’s landmark buildings, tenKsolar has earned the APS Project of the Year Award for commercial applications.

“We salute tenKsolar for what is truly a showcase solar installation,” said Paul Barlock, APS Senior Vice President. “Constitution Hall holds a special place among our nation’s historic buildings, and we’re very honored that tenKsolar and APsystems could help preserve and enhance it.”

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Built in 1929, the DAR Constitution Hall sits just off the National Mall a short distance from the White House. Half a million visitors enjoy performances in the spectacular concert setting each year.

Standard Solar’s structural engineering report revealed the building’s roof could not support the original legacy solar array they had designed, and the limited roof space would make installation of standard inverters and AC equipment exceedingly difficult.

Needing a better solution, they turned to tenK to provide a PV system that could match the original system’s energy production at a lower weight. Not only did the REFLECT PV System provide the low-weight array the building required, it produces more DC energy in the same roof area.

The Constitution Hall ended up with a larger, and lighter sys­tem, maximizing the DAR organization’s solar investment, and preserving the national landmark building for years to come.

The array, completed in June 2014, has a 69.29 kW capacity. Annual production for the concert hall is projected to be nearly 1.1 megawatt.

APS YC500 microinverters are integral to the REFLECT PV module system, built by tenKsolar in Minneapolis, Minn.

“We’re very proud to bring solar to this beautiful landmark building in our nation’s capital, and to showcase both tenK and APS technology in the project,” said Joel Cannon, tenKsolar CEO. “This project shows that our technology can overcome space and weight issues to bring solar to even challenging, historic structures.”

For more information, on the tenKsolar REFLECT PV system, see www.tenksolar.com.

See more photos of the project here.