Swiftwater Electric and Solar has been serving customers since 2005 as a trusted electrical contractor in the San Juan Islands. Recently, they’ve expanded their services to include solar, batteries, and generators, offering high-quality installations tailored to each customer’s unique energy needs. “We work closely with our customers to design and install solar systems that are efficient, reliable, and cost-effective,” says owner David Nicol. Their passion for solar energy drives their commitment to making clean energy accessible to everyone, helping build a sustainable future for the community.

David Nicol shared why Swiftwater Electric and Solar chose APsystems microinverters for their solar projects. “They have a sub-1% unit failure rate, which is great,” he says, highlighting APsystems’ reliability. The 2:1 architecture “means we have half the equipment on the roof — and half the opportunity for anything to fail,” providing peace of mind for both installers and homeowners.

Cost savings are another major benefit: “Now an inverter system is less than a solar panel on a per-watt basis — that saves us money and saves our customers money,” Nicol explains. Combined with APsystems’ extended warranty, the switch has been seamless: “I have fully switched over to APS and so far it’s been a great experience for us.”

As early adopters in their market, Swiftwater Electric and Solar has also set a trend among other installers. “More than three-quarters of the time, when we compete with another installer, they’re also quoting APS — that makes me feel better about my choice,” Nicol notes. With APsystems, Swiftwater Electric and Solar has found a solution that is reliable, cost-effective, and widely trusted — a perfect match for their commitment to delivering high-quality, customer-focused solar solutions.

Hardt Electric Helps Deliver a Net-Zero Future for Illinois Forest Preserve Using APsystems Microinverters

The Forest Preserve District’s largest site—spanning nearly 3,000 acres of protected land, trails, winter recreation areas, fishing ponds, and habitat for 24 threatened and endangered species—is now home to a state-of-the-art net-zero maintenance facility powered by APsystems technology.

As part of a comprehensive transformation plan launched in 2021, the District set out to build a new 9,800-square-foot facility that could operate entirely on clean energy. Meeting these ambitious goals required an experienced contractor capable of navigating both the technical demands of net-zero construction and the environmental protection standards of this sensitive site—including a nationally designated 70-acre bog.

Hardt Electric, a Chicago-based electrical contractor with over fifty years of service and more than two decades of renewable-energy expertise, led the design and construction of the solar system. The team engineered a 40 kW grid-interactive photovoltaic array designed to generate 100% of the building’s annual energy needs—and it’s already outperforming expectations.

Tight site constraints required the solar array to be installed within a restricted footprint and at closer-than-normal racking distances. By selecting APsystems microinverter technology, Hardt Electric ensured the system would continue to deliver maximum production even with intermittent shading and limited spacing. The microinverters’ ability to operate efficiently in higher-temperature environments with greater system reliability, their four-module input design, real-time monitoring capabilities and the safety features of the technology were key advantages in meeting the project’s performance goals.

“APsystems played a strategic role in maximizing the system’s output,” said Peter Hardt, President of Hardt Electric, in a recent discussion onsite with Teddy Hodges of TEDDY Talks. “With the environmental limitations we had to work within, microinverters gave us the flexibility, efficiency, and reliability this project demanded.”

The result:
A fully net-zero facility powered by a solar array that is already producing more energy than modeled—delivering long-term operational savings and a smaller carbon footprint for the Forest Preserve District.

This project reflects the growing trend of municipalities and public agencies turning to advanced solar technologies to meet sustainability commitments while protecting critical natural habitats. APsystems is proud to support Hardt Electric and the Forest Preserve District in realizing a cleaner, more resilient future for the community.