Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in General Solar Power Topics #1
ok well I am very interested in learning about solar energy and or PV. I want to in the future own a buisness installing PV systems. I am just wondering if anyone can help me get on the right track to making my goal complete. I work for a local solar syastem installer now and i love it. What steps do i need to take to open my own buisness? What schooling do I need and where? Please help!!!
Thanks soo much:confused:
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  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    Check out Solar Energy International based out of Colorado.

    http://www.solarenergy.org/

    They are one of the best outfits to learn from. I have seen quite a few of their students in the business after having gone through their courses.

    There are other outfits that teach, but SEI is pretty much on or near the top of the list.
    boB
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  • newenergy
    newenergy Solar Expert Posts: 291 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    Licensing depends on what state you are in. I see you are in MD. I don't know what their requirements are, but I'm sure you can find them online.

    As far as learning about solar, I took a couple seminars that were pretty good, but kind of expensive. I've also taken a very long course at a vocational school which was inexpensive, but pretty slow paced. However, the contacts I've made from the class have been well worth it.
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  • SolarJohn
    SolarJohn Solar Expert Posts: 202 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    In addition to learning the technical aspects of the business, learn about business management. Develop a good business plan, and don't start out underfunded. You'll probably need two to five times as much money as you think you need (IMHO). Check with the Better Business Bureau for any help they may be able to provide. You may be able to find investors, but be careful about how much say they have in the running of your business. And if you do have investors, make sure that your liability is limited in the event that the business does not succeed. Anyone who works for you should be required to sign a non-compete agreement. Talk to a lawyer and an accountant. Do as much as you can before you start the business so that when you do start, you have a streamlined process in place, and you can concentrate on making money.

    I've been in business three times in my life, and these are some of the lessons I've learned. I'm sure that others can expand on this.

    John
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #5
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    Thanks you I appriacte evey response.:D
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #6
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    ok well I am young so I have some time to go to school and or get everything figured out. What would be the first thing I should do?
    Thanks you everyone :D
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #7
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    Also I checked out that solar site and which course would I start with there are so many?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #8
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    You have several ways you can go... As a licensed electrician and work anywhere (and eventually open your own firm). Or you can get an engineering degree (electrical, mechanical, or today--even a computer minor and work on larger systems).

    Or, you can get your general contractor's license and hire folks to do the engineering, construction, etc... Sort of depends on what you want.

    Construction, as you well know, is highly cyclical and if you get in at the right time, you can make big bucks... But you can also get killed too. Here in the SF Bay Area, it was very dependent on our current computer/software business economy.

    I was in Computer/Electronics design (engineer) and it was amazing the number of people went into construction (especially the sales people that used to try and sell us components/services). And the software engineers that bailed into insurance, real estate, and even a Baskins Robins Ice Cream store...

    It sounds like you are still young. Get a good basic education, be flexible, take "reasonable" risks, and always keep your mind open for new learning experiences.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    I started learning about Solar Energy and installations using the internet and found Home Power Magazine. I subscribed online for there bimonthly magazine and found it a wealth of information and source reference. I lived in UK at he time and its USA based which isnt a problem for you and wasnt really for me as knowledge and technology travel well. I bought all the back issues and learnt lots. I also regularly visit Outback and Xantrex Manufacturers Forums, but find NAWS forum my regular haunt. Hang out here and within a year you will have such a better technology base a fantasic practical real world feel of living with renewables that I doubt will be matched at the price.....nothing;)

    Hey after being here for over a year and learnt what I have, I would and suspect others after having a free year would also pay a nominal fee to continue learning. NAWS dont get me wrong I like it better free as it is but it gets my point across of this forums real value !!!

    Im off grid but I read everthing else as well. Grid Tie, Wind, the Lot

    Ive since moved to Spain and have my set up as per signature , Im not blowing my trumpert (well I am actually) but in the nearly two years Ive been here Ive become nearly energy independant and currently have 2 Outback installs and one Xantrex Install for English people and just recently hae been asked to put 2 small systems in for two different spanish families. Ive paid attention to everything I learnt from the experts and pay particular attention to establishing the customers needs and requirements, along with showing them a properly installed system with correct DC wiring and breakers and lighning protection. If Ive been stuck with a problem I usually come here and the responses are fantastic, you will always get several options to problems on this NAWS forum.

    If you hang around here for just a couple of weeks you will see the same founding blocks of good advice appearing again and again, such as energy conservation, and learning a little bit of maths and equations .....as getting the basics right is a fundamental if you wish to suceed, in this modern world you are only as good as your last job.

    I wish you well its great to work with something you enjoy and you will find a lot of the experts on this forum and the other forums mentioned are just that, passionate about what they know and keen to share it !

    It amazes me every time I visit here how many experts and practiconers of renewable energy are prepared to spend the time helping others join the club.

    It must be a bug or something. :p HTH
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #10
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    Ok so as an overall logic, my best bet would be to possiably go to the school in Colorado! I am planning on going there in August, when I leave that school what do I get out of it? Any kind of certification or anything like that?
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  • newenergy
    newenergy Solar Expert Posts: 291 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help
    SolarJohn wrote: »
    Check with the Better Business Bureau for any help they may be able to provide.


    You mean Small Business Administration? Chamber of Commerce? Anybody but the Better Business Bureau?
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  • dale
    dale Solar Expert Posts: 29 ✭
    #12
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help

    With the possible exception of civil engineering, the math no longer works for engineering in the US. This could go soon.

    You can easily spend $100k to get a BSEE or CSEE. The four years of school are four years you're not earning. After graduating, you'll be competing with 23 yr old engineers, with masters degrees, from China that make $12k/yr. This downward pressure assures you'd never earn at the level engineers historically did.

    As a licensed electrician you can open your own business. You are local, which means your job is not subject to outsourcing, and have more control over your destiny.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #13
    Re: Want to learn and start buisness!!! Please Help
    unculver wrote: »
    ok well I am very interested in learning about solar energy and or PV. I want to in the future own a buisness installing PV systems. I am just wondering if anyone can help me get on the right track to making my goal complete. I work for a local solar syastem installer now and i love it. What steps do i need to take to open my own buisness? What schooling do I need and where? Please help!!!
    Thanks soo much:confused:

    I would suggest using the opportunity you have to learn how your employer runs their business. If your state offers rebates or such you should see what the requirements are for that as most your customers will want eligibility. As an electrician and with experience, I am sure that you will have no troubles at all getting it all setup.
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