Renewable Energy Technologies Diploma Series
REST: Renewable Energy Generation with Solar Thermal Systems
Instructor Biographies
William “Bill” Guiney leads the technical solar thermal piece. He is recognized as an industry expert in
solar thermal technologies and as such holds the position of Program Director, Global Renewable Energy Development at Johnson Controls as well as serving as NABCEP's Chair on the solar thermal entry level exam committee. He qualifies for ISPQ Certification for Master Trainer/ Solar Thermal.
Previous to Johnson Controls, Bill was the General Manager of the Water Heating Group to develop the solar water heating business unit for Duke Solar Energy, now known as Solargenix Energy, LLC in 2001. Prior to Duke Solar, Bill was a solar thermal specialist for the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) one of the most well‐known solar centers in the world from 1996 to 2001. Bill is a licensed solar contractor in the State of Florida and was an instructor in solar thermal technologies, energy efficiency, and photovoltaics at FSEC.
Bill was the VP of Sales and President of American Energy Technologies (AET) the leading solar thermal manufacturer in Jacksonville, FL from 1993‐1996. He has started, built and sold two solar companies: solar wholesale distributor and a retail solar contracting company in the Orlando, Florida area. He has written many articles published in national and international trade magazines and assisted in the plans for transforming the solar thermal industry in the early 90’s. Bill is credited as a co‐author the Solar Water Heating Design and Installation Manual published by the Florida Solar Energy Center. Bill was principal author of A Guide for Solar Water Heating Fee‐for‐Service Programs for Electric Utilities in the Caribbean in 2006, which was nominated for a World Energy Award.
Currently, he is a primary instructor for N.C. State University Solar Center and the Florida Solar Energy Center’s solar thermal training programs and he has conducted the training program for the North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals (NABCEP), (national solar certification organization) for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council funded by the US DOE. The Web‐based training program was conducted twice a year in 2007 and 2008.
Bill has also taught solar water heating workshops for We Energies (Wisconsin utility) and the Wisconsin Energy Center, Kentucky Solar Partnership, Green Energy Ohio, Tucson Solar Coalition, Virgin Islands Energy Office, US Department of Energy, Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, State of Maine Energy Office to certify the industry participants in the State’s Grant Program, Austin Energy and many workshops as part of the International Training Program at the Florida Solar Energy Center, (China, Indonesia, Philippines, Brazil, Africa and throughout the Caribbean) Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India and University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.
Bill has extensive experience in technical analysis, public speaking, providing educational and solar information to consumers, professionals and industries around the world. His extensive international travels as a sales representative and experience as industry spokesperson, and teacher have given him a keen analytical insight concerning the development and status of the national and international marketplace.
Mike Smith is the lead instructor of the Plumbing Diploma Program at Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC. Previously Mike was the Assistant Director of Continuing Education Resources, Inc. also in Wilmington. Mike has over 30 years in the construction industry. He retired from the New Hanover County Inspections Department in March 2008 after serving over 14 years as an inspector. The last 3 years of that time he served as Chief of Plant Review.
In 2004 Mike founded Continuing Education Resources to provide continuing education for contractors primarily in the plumbing and HVAC industries. Mike is currently licensed as a General, Plumbing, and HVAC Contractor.
Fred Stewart. For the past 30 years, anyone searching for solar energy equipment in the Triangle would have found Solar Consultants. Founded in 1982 by Fred Stewart, Solar Consultants has been around since solar was a new energy source in the North Carolina. After graduating from the nation's first accredited alternative energy program, Fred started building and installing solar systems in 1977. After moving to the Triangle in 1979 he worked for two years with a solar manufacturer building solar collectors and installing solar thermal systems. Solar Consultants has installed thousands of thermal solar systems across the state and helped develop some of the most innovative solar energy systems in the world.