Global solar technology leader APS rebrands as APsystems

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEATTLE – APS, a global leader in solar technology, is now APsystems.

The brand refinement highlights the company’s commitment to powerful alternative energy solutions, and its evolution from a product-oriented portfolio to a whole-systems innovator.

The phrase “Altenergy Power,” a nod to the company’s original legal name, will appear beneath APsystems in the company’s new mark.

“We’ve been asked at times what ‘APS’ stood for, and it was a trade name we fell into largely for simplicity,” said Kelly Samson, APsystems CEO, U.S. operations. “As our company has become prominent in the marketplace, and our range of offerings expands, we want to make our commitment to alternative energy and advanced power systems more explicit. APsystems is who we are and what we’re about.”

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The new positioning follows the company’s strong growth and industry recognition in the U.S. and international solar markets over the past two years.

APsystems is headquartered in Seattle, USA, and Jiaxing, China, with regional offices in Europe and Australia.

The company was founded in Silicon Valley in 2009 with a single product offering, a first-generation microinverter.

An ongoing commitment to research and development, engineering and technology innovation has created a robust module-level power electronics (MLPE) solutions portfolio. The company’s technology is also featured in integrated PV solutions by other solar industry leaders.

More than half of the APsystems workforce is involved in R&D engineering, underscoring the focus on constant product advancement and innovation.

The company’s flagship product, the YC500 microinverter, broke ground among MLPE offerings as the most powerful unit to handle two solar modules simultaneously, simplifying PV system design and significantly lowering installation costs on a per-watt basis.

More recently, the YC1000 microinverter entered the solar market as an innovative, purpose-designed unit for commercial applications. The fourth-generation technology offers true 3-phase (balanced AC) output and handles up to four modules per unit, bringing microinverter technology to the untapped commercial segment for the first time.

The microinverters have been successfully deployed on five continents.

“We’ve been very successful providing an alternative to conventional ‘string’ power inversion, moving the market toward microinverters as the standard for residential and small-scale commercial solar applications,” said Andrew Lonseth, APsystems president, U.S. operations. “As we expand our systems portfolio, we will continue to bring new and innovative technology offerings to the alternative energy market.”

APsystems products are designed around a flexible and powerful Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) integrated circuit, giving the company a significant competitive advantage in design, manufacturing, reliability and cost effectiveness.

The company’s microinverter line is programmable to any grid standard anywhere in the world, and is backed by industry-leading warranties and support.

See APsystems.com for information on the company’s worldwide operations, or usa.APsystems.com for the North American market.

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APsystems is a worldwide leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of alternative energy solutions based on its own proven, leading-edge technology. APsystems is headquartered in Seattle, USA, and Jiaxing, China, with regional offices in Europe and Australia.

We’ll toast you at the SPW Gala

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Congratulations to all who made the 2015 Top 500 Solar Contractors List! The APsystems team looks forward to toasting you at the Solar Power World Top Solar Contractors Gala being held on Monday, September 14th, the eve of the annual Solar Power International trade show in Anaheim.

APsystems is the top sponsor of SPW’s annual gala and is proud to support the event honoring leaders from around the solar industry. Count on an evening of fine dining and fellowship, hosted by Solar Power World magazine and SEIA, and sponsored by APsystems. We’ll see you there.

Contact the SPW team for more details.

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Easy money just got easier

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Now $15 back for EVERY microinverter.

APS has updated its unprecedented offer to make it even easier for installers to try APS and put money in their pocket. Now until September 30th, installers can earn $15 back for every APS YC500 microinverter purchased through participating distributors.

Installers can receive a VISA® Gift Card with $15 value added for every   APS microinverter purchased. That’s $210 back in your pocket for an average residential installation with 14 APS YC500 dual-module microinverters (other models not eligible).  Do you complete five jobs a week? That’s more than $1,000 back to your bottom line – easy money for choosing APS microinverters.

 

Click here for program details.
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Celebrate with us at SPI, Sept. 14-17

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Innovation has a new name: APsystems.

Celebrate our new brand and see APsystems advanced microinverter technology at Solar Power International, Sept. 14-17 in Anaheim, Calif.

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APsystems will have a high profile at this year’s convention, a preeminent event for solar energy professionals and the global solar industry.

Paul Barlock, APsystems Senior Vice President, USA, will be featured speaker at “Value-adding Applications of Microinverter and DC/OC Optimizers,” 10:30 a.m. Sept. 16. The presentation is part of the System Integration & Technology track of SPI workshops – put it in your planner.

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We’re also prime sponsor of Solar Power World magazine’s exclusive Top Solar Contractors gala evening, Sept. 14.

See as at booth 4327 on the trade show floor, and find out why installers nation and worldwide are turning to APsystems advanced microinverter technology for their residential and commercial projects.

Set up a meeting by contacting sales@apsamerica.com, and watch for more announcements as Solar Power International 2015 approaches.

A letter to our solar partners: APS becomes APsystems

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It’s been just six years since APS was a Silicon Valley startup – and how far we’ve come in that short time. Founded with the goal of bringing the most advanced microinverter technology to the solar PV market, we’ve passed one milestone after another en route to ranking no. 2 in global market share among top microinverter suppliers by shipments in 2013 (source: GTM Research). Last year was even stronger still.

And we’re not slowing down – demand for our microinverter line is growing month over month in all markets. As we look toward even greater achievements on the horizon, we’re pausing just long enough to reflect on who we are and what we’re about.

With that reflection comes a refinement of our brand: APS will become APsystems.

The new trade name highlights our commitment to powerful alternative energy solutions, and our evolution from a product-oriented portfolio to a whole-systems innovator. The phrase “Altenergy Power,” a nod to the company’s original legal name, will appear beneath APsystems in our new mark.

The new name will launch August 31st. With the brand refinement, we’re also launching a new website, apsystems.com, an online nexus for our worldwide operations with links to offices in each regional market. We hope you’ll visit the site and see the APsystems big picture.

What’s next? Big things. We’re making a strong push into new markets worldwide, and rolling out even more powerful solutions to accommodate new and emerging technologies. Expect more announcements throughout the coming year.

Our name has changed, but our values are the same. We remain passionate about solar power and advancing our clean, renewable energy future. We offer maximum value to customers through excellence of products, pricing and support. Honesty, professionalism and teamwork define our company. Add them up, and we believe an informed customer will always choose APsystems.

We’re excited about this moment, and we want to share the news with our valued solar partners like you. We look forward to a bright future together.

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Kindest regards,

Andrew Lonseth
President, U.S. Operations

Inc. 500/5000-honored solar distributor SimpleRay adds APS microinverter line

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

apsystems-simpleraySEATTLE – Three-time Inc. 5000-honored solar distributor SimpleRay has added the APS microinverter line to its product offerings.

Driven by the maxim “We simplify solar,” SimpleRay offers a full range of solar products and services including PV system design (grid tied and battery based), end-to-end project management, and financing.

The St. Paul, Minn.-based company (www.simpleray.com) is a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree, and has ranked No. 318 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in the USA. It ranked No. 12 among top renewable energy companies as determined by Inc. Magazine, and fifth among all companies in its home state.

SimpleRay was founded by Geoff Stenrick in 2007, with the goal of giving solar installers a better distribution experience. The company serves small and mid-sized installers throughout the Midwest, offering product and system-design expertise and a consultative sales approach.

“We want to make sure we have the best products on hand to match each installer’s projects,” said Stenrick, SimpleRay president and CEO. “APS fits in well with our philosophy by offering low-cost, well established microinverters. They’re easy to design with, and fit our customers’ needs well. They’re a great fit for us overall.”

Thomas Nelson, APS vice president of sales, USA, hailed the extension of the APS brand in the Great Lakes region in a year of strong installer demand nationwide.

“SimpleRay has built their business by providing very high quality service to installers,” Nelson said. “That’s an outstanding match for APS and our own focus on providing the best products and top value for our installation partners.”

APS is currently offering A+ Rewards, an industry-best rebate program for installers. The program offers up to $15 back per microinverter purchased from participating distributors through Sept. 30, 2015, with additional incentives for first-time installers; see www.apsamerica.com for details.

APS flagship products include the YC500, a powerful dual-module microinverter, and the YC1000 true 3-phase unit, purpose-designed for commercial applications and offering an unprecedented 1:4 microinverter-to-module ratio to lower system costs.

Both units will be offered by SimpleRay through its distribution channels.

APS was founded in Silicon Valley in 2009, and is now a global leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of microinverters based on their own proven, leading-edge solar technology. APS’ USA operations are based in Seattle.

APS ranked No. 2 in global market share among top microinverter suppliers by shipment in 2013 (source: GTM Research).

For information on SimpleRay solar distribution, see www.simpleray.com.

APS EMA App now available for iPhone, iPad

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EMA-app-imageThe APS Energy Monitoring and Analysis App is now available for iPhone and iPad.

The EMA App allows APS microinverter system owners to track solar array performance in real time through their iOS mobile device.

See system output by day, month, year and lifetime of the array, and calculate energy savings based on price per kilowatt hour.

The app also displays environmental savings in gallons of gasoline, trees and carbon emissions.

All data is displayed through an easy-to-use graphical interface.

The APS EMA App is available for iOS devices through the Apple iTunes App Store. The app requires iOS 7.0 or later required and offers English and simplified Chinese language support.

Click here to download the EMA App user manual.

You ask, we answer: APS customer survey feedback

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APS recently asked for your feedback on our products and services. Your response to our consumer survey was overwhelming – thank you for your interest in our advanced microinverter technology.

We wanted to know:

What do you feel APS needs to improve on? How could APS better serve your needs?

In offering your generous comments, many of you also asked questions about APS. We want to take a moment to answer some of your anonymous queries here.

 

I’d like more hands-on product information. Do you have any live events coming up in my area?

Our regional sales representatives are glad to meet with you to discuss the APS product line; just email sales@apsamerica.com to start the conversation.

APS offers regular installation training sessions through our partner distributors across North America. These sessions cover installation of our YC500 and YC1000 microinverters, monitoring setup, best practices and tools of the trade, and offer installers NABCEP credits for attending.
To schedule an event in your area, contact your APS distributor and tell them you’d like to see an APS event in your area, and we’ll take it from there.

 

Tell me more about your USA distribution chain. How can I purchase your products?
The APS microinverter line is available through leading solar distributors across North America. See our Partners page to find the authorized APS distributor in your area, or email sales@apsamerica.com and we’ll get you plugged into our channels.

 

You need a 25-year warranty to match the other brands.
We have one. APS offers a standard 10-year warranty extendable to 25 years for a very modest cost. Because our advanced microinverter products have a design life of 25 years or more, you’ll install with confidence that APS products will serve throughout the life of the PV system – and our warranty is there to back it up.

 

Is APS supported by third-party solar finance providers? 
Yes. APS is on the Approved Vendor List (AVL) of several leading third-party finance providers, including Sunnova and Upsolar. Contact APS for more information on third-party financing.

 

Do you have any training videos? 
You can find a comprehensive YC500 installation and monitoring setup video on our APS channel on YouTube. Watch the video whenever it’s convenient for you and your team, to learn about APS microinverter installation.
For real-time training, remember that APS offers certified installer webinars twice a month, on first and third Wednesdays. Three live sessions are available, covering YC500A microinverter installation, as well as setup of the APS Energy Communication Unit (ECU) and APS Energy Monitoring and Analysis (EMA) software.
Just send an email to support@apsamerica.com to enroll and become a certified APS microinverter installer. Also check out our Support webpage for more first-time installer information.

 

Does APS have a 3-phase microinverter offering? 
You bet. In fact, the APS YC1000 is the first true 3-phase microinverter in the industry. Unlike other brands who’ve repackaged their old technology as a “commercial” product, we started from the ground up. The YC1000 was purpose designed and built for the commercial segment, and offers features you just won’t find in competing products.
And the innovations will keep on coming. With half our employees devoted to R&D engineering, we’re committed to constant product and portfolio improvement, and making tomorrow’s solar technology available today.

 

You should offer a clearly identified small-commercial 208V product.  
We’ve already got it covered. The YC1000 true 3-phase microinverter is available in both 208V and 277/480V configurations to suit any commercial system requirements. Find out more at our Products page, or download the YC1000-208 Data Sheet and Installation/User Manual to see the product specifications.

 

What about extension cables and accessories?  
APS offers all cables, caps and all other accessories necessary to complete your microinverter installation on time and within budget. See the full array of APS-certified components available at our Accessories page, then contact your distributor to order the products you need.

 

Solar Builder magazine highlights YC1000 at Intersolar

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APS technology has center stage at Intersolar this week in San Francisco, and all eyes are on the YC1000 true 3-phase microinverter.

Solar Builder magazine features the YC1000 in this video from the trade show floor. See APS Senior Director of Marketing Jason Higginson discuss the industry’s first true 3-phase microinverter, purpose designed and built for commercial applications.

The YC1000 is proven in the field, powering a 529kW system at Fort Washington Country Club in Fresno, Calif. Read the story and contact sales@apsamerica.com for purchase and distribution opportunities.

Thanks to Solar Builder for highlighting APS and the groundbreaking YC1000.

APS, Krannich offer installer training in NJ, CA

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APS and Krannich Solar present a new round of microinverter installation training sessions for New Jersey and California installers in August.

Three Solar Innovations Day events are slated:
— August 20 – Pennsauken, NJ
— August 25 – Oceanside, CA
— August 27 – Sacramento, CA

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Each events run 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the local Krannich sales center.

The dynamic presentation will include APS microinverter system design, monitoring setup, tools of the trade, and hands-on training with the APS YC500 and YC1000 microinverters.

Find out how APS microinverters can simplify your next PV installation, saving you time and money on the job site while improving the power and reliability of the array. Installers nationwide are moving to superior APS microinverter technology — you’ll see why at Solar Innovations Day.

Earn NABCEP credits for attending the event, and enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast and luncheon.

To sign up for a Solar Innovations Day training event and become an APS installer, follow this link to the registration site. Contact your Krannich sales representative or call (856) 802-0991 for more information.

Email sales@apsamerica.com to learn more about APS microinverter products.