Olivier Jacques named APsystems Executive Vice President of USA & EMEA

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

SONY DIGITAL CAMERASEATTLE, WA, and LYON, FRANCE – APsystems, the global leader in advanced microinverter technology for the solar PV industry, today announced Olivier Jacques has been named Executive Vice President, USA & EMEA.  Jacques is based in Lyon, France and most recently served as APsystems Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa.  He will report to Dr. Zhi-Min Ling, Co-founder, President & CEO of APsystems worldwide.

“APsystems globalization and scale have increased dramatically under Olivier Jacques’ leadership,” said Dr. Ling. “His appointment to EVP of USA and EMEA opens up new horizons for product portfolio development, go-to-market strategies, and the MLPE innovation for which APsystems is known worldwide.”

Jacques will be a featured speaker at the upcoming GTM Solar Summit, May 16-18 in Scottsdale, Ariz. He will appear at the forum “Residential Inverters – Differentiating in a Maturing Market,” at 2 p.m. May 17. See www.greentechmedia.com for information.

“I am delighted to lead APsystems’ next stage of growth across USA and EMEA, two of the most developed PV regions in the world,” Jacques said. “Synergies are becoming more and more evident as the fast-growing PV industry is maturing. We are observing convergence today with tomorrow’s winning business models, system sophistication and customer expectations. In this context, I believe APsystems is now ideally positioned within this dynamic.”

Olivier boasts more than 25 years of experience in industrial, automation, energy and high-tech industries. Prior to joining APsystems in October 2015, he served as Managing Director, EMEA for Enphase Energy. There, he developed the microinverter market in Europe from scratch, achieving leading share positions in key European solar regions.

Olivier previously served as Managing Director for international companies including Norgren (IMI group), a leading industrial automation and fluid control company, where he spurred growth despite an economic recession.

As Managing Director and HVAC-R Southern Europe Director at Danfoss Drives, Jacques increased revenues, created sales channels, launched a new product platform and repositioned the company as a value-added solutions provider.

He has also held senior executive positions as International Sales & Marketing and Managing Director at major companies ranging from WATTS Industries (fluid control and HVAC), Schlumberger (water, gas and thermal energy) and Samsung Electronics (launching their HVAC business).

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About APsystems

Founded in Silicon Valley in 2009, APsystems has grown to encompass three global business units with offices around the world, serving customers in more than 80 countries with its ground-breaking multi-module microinverters, including the YC1000, the world’s first true 3-phase, 4-module unit for commercial applications and still the top seller its product class.

Today, with hundreds of thousands of units installed producing more than 130 GWh of clean, renewable energy, APsystems continues to be a leader in the ever-growing MLPE segment and a solid corporate performer, profitable each of the past five years. APsystems USA is based in Seattle, Washington; APsystems EMEA is based at Rotterdam, Netherlands and Lyon, France.

 

Take our 2017 survey and enter to win $500 cash!

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435802d5-8b9e-44ad-a3c7-97b88f92b4e5Are you an installer, contractor or distributor? Do you use, specify, purchase, market or install solar inverter products? Yes, well then take a few minutes to complete this survey, and you will be eligible to win a $500 Visa® gift card.

It’s this easy: By answering all questions in the short survey, you’ll help us better understand customer needs and improve our products and services. The survey is completely anonymous, and any personal information is only gathered for prize notification purposes.

The survey closes June 16, 2017- please share your opinions today.

To thank you for participating, we’ll enter you in a drawing for our prize – a Visa® gift card valued at $500.

TAKE THE SURVEY NOW

Join APsystems at GTM Solar Summit, May 17-18

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ss-2017-web-300-250APsystems is the Registration Sponsor for the upcoming GTM Solar Summit, the premier conference for defining industry needs and creating new business opportunities, May 17-18 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Olivier Jacques, APsystems’ Executive Vice President, will be a featured speaker at the conference.

See the full line of APsystems microinverter products at our event booth. Set up a meeting with a member of our attending team by emailing sales@APsystems.com.

Presented by GreenTech Media, the Solar Summit is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2017, with two full days of packed networking opportunities and a unique mix of market intelligence with engaging panel sessions among industry leaders.

For more information on the GTM Solar Summit, see https://www.greentechmedia.com/events/live/solar-summit-2017

Join APsystems at CSPE, May 1-2 in San Diego

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APsystems brings its industry-leading MLPE portfolio to the California Solar Power Expo, May 1-2 in San Diego.

John Doerr of the APsystems technical services division will offer a training session on Monday, May 1, 2:15 pm – 4:15 pm titled ‘Commercial Three Phase Microinverter Solutions – Including Design for Communication’ in a course registered to confer 2 NABCEP CE credits. Contact support@APsystems.com to register today.

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Find the APsystems team at Booth 58 in the Lower Level Exhibit Hall of the San Diego Convention Center.

The California Solar Power Expo, powered by SEIA and SEPA, is an interactive marketplace designed specifically for the California solar supply chain, including installers, developers, manufacturers, and service providers. More than 400 companies are registered to attend, with technical training, networking and a Solar Job Fair in store.

Click here for more information on this year’s California Solar Power Expo, or email sales@APsystems.com to set up a meeting during this year’s event.

Address connectivity issues to reduce trips to solar sites

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April 10, 2017 Solar Power World

You’re a solar installer, not “the IT guy,” so why spend time dealing with connectivity issues, rebooting customers’ Wi-Fi networks?

While real-time monitoring is an essential feature of today’s PV systems, communication between system monitoring devices and the customer’s router is often overlooked. Understanding the options for today’s connectivity—and making smart choices for your customers—can save you costly return visits to jobsites.

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The challenge
Relaying performance data from the solar system to the customer’s computer or smart device and the manufacturer’s database involves constant, reliable communication between specialized components. The typical signal chain for communication links the solar array to the data collector, which is typically called a gateway—such as the APsystems ECU or the Enphase Envoy. The signals travel to the home internet router and onto various monitoring stations.

It sounds straightforward, but differences in home size and layout can mean the gateway and router are separated, likely by walls and floors.

Bridging the gap
Today’s solar customers have an almost bewildering array of choices (and acronyms) for linking the gateway to their router. There are Wi-Fi extenders or Ethernet cables, such as Ethernet-over-powerline (EoP), where wires used to distribute power inside homes also transmit digital data based on time division multiple access (TDMA) technology. You can even use old-school CAT-5 or CAT-6 Ethernet cables. Each option has its particular strengths and weaknesses, and the right answer for one installation may not work for another.

Making the right choice
Solar customers want reliability, from the solar modules to inverters to production. Connectivity should have the same level of reliability.

Match your hardware choices to the size and layout of the house with proven technologies and products to ensure uninterrupted, around-the-clock monitoring. Keep in mind that the best choice will invariably be a hardline connection whenever possible. With potential signal disruption, a wireless connection will only ever be as reliable as wireless allows. Today’s wireless technology is incredible, but critical connectivity requires highly reliable communication devices. You simply can’t beat a direct, uninterrupted connection. Test each solution to find your ideal answer for each installation scenario, and remember the best solution is the one that requires the least follow-up once you’ve left the jobsite.

This installation tip was provided by Chris Barrett, director of engineering and technical services, APsystems

See full article on Solar Power World

APsystems featured in Solar Builder Magazine’s special Inverter Issue

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Solar Builder Magazine’s special Inverter Issue is out now, and APsystems is featured throughout.

Always follow best practices to head off gateway communication issues, says Christopher Barrett, APsystems Director of Technical Services, in the “Ask An Expert” feature compiled by Solar Builder editors. Even in a “wireless” world, hard-wired CAT-5 connections can be the best and most reliable option, Christopher says – and save you the time and trouble of returning to the jobsite to sort out Wi-Fi problems.

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Remember to compare warranties when doing your calculations – there’s real value in that certificate, should a system component ever need to be replaced. That’s one of the insights APsystems contributes to an informative story on Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), the formula that determines a solar array’s investment value over its lifetime.

Power and versatility are the hallmarks of the new APsystems YC500i with EnergyMax, a microinverter designed and built for today’s high-output modules, profiled in Solar Builder’s 2017 Inverter Buyers Guide.

Find out more about APsystems microinverters, “The Installers’ Choice,” on the inside front cover of the edition, on newsstands now.

Download the digital edition of Solar Builder’s Inverter Issue here.

Join APsystems for a connectivity webinar, March 29

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Today’s solar customers have an almost bewildering array of choices (and acronyms) for linking the gateway to their router: Wi-Fi, EoP, TDMA, even old-school CAT-5 and CAT-6.

Which technology is right for your next installation? Find out through a new APsystems webinar, “Critical Connectivity: addressing site communication in a wireless (and sometimes wired) world,” to be offered 11:30 am EST March 29.

The webinar will be presented by Christopher Barrett, Director of Technical Services and Engineering for APsystems, and moderated by Kathie Zipp of Solar Power World.

Register for this informative session at www.solarpowerworldonline.com

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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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APsystems announces major sponsorship of Extend The Day

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APsystems, the global leader in advanced microinverter technology for the solar PV industry, today announced its commitment to Extend the Day, a charity organization which gives solar reading lights to school children in disadvantaged countries with no access to electricity.

APsystems will donate $1 to the nonprofit for every microinverter purchased up to the amount of the charity’s 2017 administrative expenses for its Lights for Learning program.

“APsystems is proud to partner with Extend the Day to bring light to these children’s lives.” said Dr. Zhi-min Ling, APsystems Global President & CEO. “We firmly believe in what Extend the Day is doing around the world and are committed to helping them continue to achieve measurable results with their Lights for Learning program.

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“This foundation commitment by APsystems is extraordinary,” said Extend the Day Executive Director Jo Lonseth. “It allows us to focus on expanding our reach and building on the successful projects we already have in Kenya, Nepal and Myanmar.  Success in life for children living in disadvantaged communities often comes down to whether or not they can continue their middle school education. These solar powered lights cost nothing to operate and make it possible for school children to do homework after dark, improve their grades, and stay in school.”

APsystems first learned about the impressive work that Extend the Day is doing when the non-profit asked APsystems for help in designing a more reliable, lightweight, and inexpensive solar powered light. As a world leader in the development of innovative solar power electronic solutions, APsystems was the right choice and eagerly worked with Extend the Day to develop the ideal solution.

For more information on Extend the Day:  extendtheday.org