About Us
ImagineSolar is a Texas company founded in 2002 and based in Austin.
Founded on the principles of delivering high quality training & consulting services based on ISPQ Standard of Accredited Training Facilities and Educators. ImagineSolar’s goal is to develop highly qualified solar professionals that can demonstrate competence and uphold standards that support the growth of the solar industry and provide the highest standards for engineering and business consulting services.
ImagineSolar has practices and policies that support:
- Non-Discrimination
- Avoiding Conflict of Interest
- Client Confidentiality
- Commitment to Safety and Safe Practices
- Commitment to Professionalism and Quality
- Commitment to Executive Development of the ImagineSolar staff
Click here for a list of ImagineSolar clients.
Michael Kuhn, President and CEO, M.S. Management of Technology, BSEE,
Certified ISPQ Affiliated Master Trainer (ACC);
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
Michael is president of ImagineSolar (est. 2002). As a commissioner for the City of Austin, he authored multiple resolutions and successfully advocated for the leading green choice and solar energy municipal program in the United States. As a consultant, he worked on the Value of Solar Study for Austin Energy, served on the HelioVolt advisory board, and has worked on business plans for several solar ventures. In the area of workforce development, he helped established the first associate degree in renewable energy in Texas at the Austin Community College (ACC) as well as designed several solar courses for continuing education. He continues to teach NABCEP-approved courses in solar photovoltaics as an adjunct professor and CE instructor at ACC. Michael is a member of the Solar Austin Board of Directors. He holds a Master of Science in Management of Technology from Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas. His last speaking engagements include the Solar Power Int’l Conference at San Diego and the SEMI Annual Outlook in Austin Texas.
Richard Stovall, Director of Operations, M.B.A. Technology Management, B.A., LEED AP, NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics,
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
Prior to his entry into the solar industry, Richard has thirteen years of experience in high technology manufacturing working as an associate engineer and production shift supervisor. He has experience managing a team of high functioning technicians and engineers. He is skilled in developing and implementing standardized policies and procedures in an ISO9000 environment. He holds a M.B.A. Technology Management from the University of Phoenix, B.A. in Business Administration from Saint Edwards University and the Institutional Certificate in Renewable Energy from the Austin Community College.
Julia Mechler, Executive Coordinator, Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas, NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics;
Julia is currently completing her Bachelors of Science in Environmental Geology & Hydrogeology from the University of Texas at Austin. She is involved in campus groups such as Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) and the Environmental Leaders Institute (ELI). Julia is the creator and project coordinator for A Bright Idea, a project bringing renewable energy education to communities of young and old in the Austin area. Her coursework background includes Hydrology, Climate System Science, Geoclimatology, and Spatial Analysis.
D.J. Rosebaugh, Director of Training and Strategy, BS Industrial Technology, NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics;
D.J. brings twenty-one years experience in high technology product marketing and business strategy for Fortune 100 companies in the wireless and automotive industries. He is highly skilled at designing market strategies, business plans, product marketing, product training, pricing, contract negotiation, and cultivating strong customer relationships. In his spare time, he has been involved in sustainable building and permaculture since 1993. He’s also helping to drive business and marketing strategy for a clean energy policy non-profit organization. D.J holds a B.S. in Industrial Technology from Eastern Illinois University, and a 2008 graduate of the Aji Network’s 2 year intensive Business Professional’s Course.
Dr. Deirdre Mendez, Chair of the ImagineSolar Advisory Board;
Dr. Deirdre Mendez is the Assistant Director of the Center for International Business and Education Research (CIBER) in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining CIBER in 2005, Dr. Mendez was a corporate strategist for US companies doing business in foreign markets. A Ph.D. in sociolinguistics, she founded Austin, Texas-based Foreign Business Management Consultants in 1986, and devoted nineteen years to creating international market penetration strategies for US technology companies. FBMC’s client list includes 3M, Advanced Micro Devices, Tandem Computers, Dell Computer Corp., and International SEMATECH. Dr. Mendez has published on Austin’s technopolis creation, and advised international technopolis development projects. She has also been a pioneer in the internationalization of Central Texas including a focus on clean energy. A member of the City of Austin’s Mayor’s Task Force on International Infrastructure in 2001, she is currently a board member of the International Partnership of Greater Austin.
ImagineSolar Faculty
Senior Instructors
Michael Kuhn, M.S. Management of Technology, BSEE;
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ (See bio above).
Richard Stovall, Director of Operations, M.B.A. Technology Management, B.A., LEED AP; NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics;
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ (See bio above).
John Hoffner, P.E., M.S. Engineering Science, BSCE;
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
John has worked with ImagineSolar since the very first ImagineSolar workshops in 2004 providing subject matter expertise, curriculum development, and instruction. He joined the CH2M HILL renewable energy team in June 2007 and he is developing new business with clients to implement solar, wind and bio projects. With over 20 years of energy and utility experience he is also managing solar electric design projects in New Jersey, Texas and California for CH2M HILL clients. Before coming to CH2M HILL John was with Conservation Services Group (CSG) for 11 years as the Director of Technical Services/Renewable Energy. He was responsible for designing, managing and operating solar electric PV systems and other renewable projects throughout the United States. Before CSG he managed the Renewable Energy division for the City of Austin Electric Utility from 1983 to 1996. He executed the contract for the first utility-scale wind project in West Texas for the City of Austin and negotiated a contract for a 5 MW landfill gas project. John is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas and has a Masters in Engineering Science from Trinity University and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tuft University.
Steve Kanetzky, P.E., LEED AP, BSEE, Master Electrician, NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics;
Steve graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1981, he completed a four-year electrical apprenticeship program with the IBEW and is licensed as an Unrestricted Master Electrician by the State of Texas. Steve is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the States of Texas, Kansas, Arizona, and Arkansas. He was recently appointed to the Governing Board for IEEE Power Engineering Society. He is also a Senior member and Regions III & V Representative of IEEE.
Dr. Greg Monty is a member of Corporate Research and is the Director of Technology at Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Greg was a driving force in the development of UL’s new Renewable Energy business (PV, Wind, Batteries, Fuel Cells, Biofuels, and the SmartGrid) and the new UL Environmental, Inc. Greg advised both of these new business endeavors at UL, and is considered an expert in GHGs, carbon emissions, smart grid systems, energy production and energy efficiency. Greg serves as the UL liasion to The Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems Center, headquartered on NC State University’s Centennial Campus, one of the NSF’s smart grid laboratories. Prior to UL, Greg was a Professor at both the University of Michigan and Arizona State University (ASU). At ASU he was also Director of the Center for Solid-State Electronics Research and was responsible for stimulating various areas of research growth. Greg’s career has focused on the semiconductor industry where he founded 3 separate start-up companies (2 with IPOs) and developed semiconductor divisions within Motorola. Greg holds a PhD & Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Bachelors degree from Purdue.
Instructors
James E. McElhanon, B.S. NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics;
Jim has 15 years experience as an educator teaching Science, Electronics, and Computer Repair. He is the founder and current sponsor of the Stony Point High School Solar Car Club. They have participated in the Dell-Winston Solar Car Challenge for over 5 years and placed 3rd in the race in 2007. Other interests include home sustainable energy solutions and amateur radio (licensed). He was an Austin Fire Fighter for 5 years and worked for the State and Federal Government for 8 years as a Training Officer. Jim holds a B.S. degree in Secondary Science Education from the University of Texas and is currently obtaining an associate’s degree in Renewable Energy at the Austin Community College.
T.J. Ramsey, B.A.; NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics;
T.J. has been a training professional since year 2000, when he took a position as a Technical Trainer with Lotus technical support at IBM. In that role he trained both internal software engineers and customers in both product basics and advanced troubleshooting topics, and also developed curriculum on new and existing products in the Lotus software portfolio. He holds a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently obtaining an associate’s degree in Renewable Energy at the Austin Community College.
Gordon Gunn, P.E.; NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™;
Gordon is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas and holds BS degrees in Electrical Engineering and Chemistry. He is affiliated with TREIA, TXSES, SEEN, Solar Austin, IEEE, and is presently serving as Vice President of the Austin Green Energy Group.
See our Flickr photo sets here:
The ImagineSolar Experience
Click here to watch ImagineSolar Workshop videos on our YouTube Channel.
Projects
Dell Headquarters 100KW Parking Lot Installation
The Dell 100KW parking lot installation was commissioned October 2009 at Dell headquarters in Round Rock, Texas. ImagineSolar LLC was hired by McBride Electric to do the panel testing, installation, interconnection, and grounding for the array which consisted of 11 parking lot shade structures and a total of 516 BP 3195 (195W panels) and a Satcon 110KW S-type inverter. Annual production of the array is expected to be about 130,000 kilowatt-hours which is enough energy to provide for the equivalent energy needs of 10 average homes in the central texas area. Additionally, electric vehicle charging ports were integrated into some of the structures.
The ImagineSolar team was made up of ImagineSolar Director of Operations Richard Stovall, and five ImagineSolar workshop alumni: Gordon Gunn, Joel East, Nathan Brown, Scott Whitcomb, and Ryan Doty. The work began on September 15th and was completed on October 1st.
