[kynikos]

BRK hit a few good points right on the nose.

It's definitely a burgeoning industry, but you really do need a decent amount of certification to be taken seriously. I used to work in clean energy and it is becoming somewhat of a crowded field, especially for residential solar. You'd be setting yourself up for some strong future business, but right now the costs of solar installation for homeowners is quite high, especially considering the federal tax credit for solar systems is about to expire. There might be some more incentives that will drive increased use under the next president, but there likely won't be much within the next half-year.

Not sure how things are where you live, but the geographic market I was working in saw mostly retrofits and very little integration with new construction. As the cost of producing solar panels continues to decrease, you'll be strengthening your position, but until that happens you likely won't be making very much money.

Another thing to consider is the proliferation of larger solar companies that operate on a franchise model and include service and maintenance into the cost of the system.

If you're very passionate about clean energy and have the time to dedicate over the next 5-10 years, I say go for it, otherwise you won't see very strong returns. Just my 2c...