Contractors bid to install rooftop solar panels

Gridbid is a site which sees quality contractors bid for the job of installing solar panels on people's roofs.

Environmentally-friendly energy solutions for the home are becoming ever more common, but as the technology is new to many and installation costs fluctuate, how do homeowners know if they are getting the best deal? Aiming to provide a solution, Gridbid is a site which allows quality contractors to bid for solar panel installation jobs on people’s roofs. Residents logging onto Gridbid post the specifications of their roof and the kind of installation they are looking for; contractors can then respond with their best offer. The site features its own Gridbid Score for installers based on a number of different factors, allowing property owners to easily rate and compare those competing for their business. Users can then pick a contractor and start saving money by generating their own electricity. Gridbid is also beneficial for solar businesses as it puts them in direct contact with those households with roof space open for use. Both auctioneers and bidders pay only when an agreement has been reached. According to the company, it auctioned over USD 300,000 worth of rooftop solar projects in its first week online when it launched earlier this year. Access to the platform is currently by private invitation only. Combined with ideas such as India’s pay-as-you-go solar energy tariff, this site could make renewable energy in the home a more transparent and consequently more attractive option for everybody, thus helping the environment. What other industries could benefit from the bidding model? Spotted by: Parul Rohatgi