Sunshine City

Sunny skies leaving Aussies in the dark

  • Written by Founder of bidmysolar, Bernie Kelly


Abundant sunshine and high energy prices have made solar a popular choice in Australia. As of 31 Oct 2020, more than 2.5 million rooftop solar power systems had been installed across the country1. However, according to the Clean Energy Regulator (CER), around one in five (18%) solar systems are installed in a substandard manner2, leaving homeowners struggling to gain a return on their investment.
 
While government solar rebates and incentive programs are valuable, these initiatives have unfortunately served as the breeding ground for rogue, fly-by-night traders who install unreliable, underperforming systems. Poor quality equipment and installation practices result in longer pay-back periods, complete system failures and can pose a significant fire hazard.
 
Despite the CER’s initiatives to address the installation of unapproved solar panels, almost half (40%) of all brands available on the market remain unvalidated[1]. In addition, given the incredibly technical nature of solar power, many installers try and pass low quality panels at a premium to unsuspecting customers.
 
Unregulated pricing structures mean homeowners are significantly overpaying for a solar installation,
with costs varying by tens of thousands. To make the matters worse, a shocking 800 solar companies have gone bankrupt in the past decade, leaving 700,000 homeowners with worthless warranties4.
 
A new disruptor to the solar industry is aiming to provide a better solution for Australians looking to install solar via their search platform. bidmysolar™ is Australia’s first solar energy marketplace and aims to help homeowners save time, money and frustration when buying solar.