Some may be familiar with Solyndra, but just in case you're not, I'll tell you about it. The business, based in California, manufactures thin-film solar panels. These panels' popular characteristic was their lack of silicon. Several years ago, polysilicon was not cheap; but just as Solyndra was approved to receive a $535 million loan, the silicon prices significantly dropped. With the competitors' prices much lower, Solyndra was struggling to survive.
In a country where people are already afraid of solar energy, this was quite the setback. The solar community has difficulty getting funding as it is; Mike Koshmrl and Seth Masia wrote that "Chinese banks have offered Chinese solar companies a staggering $40.7 billion. For perspective, U.S. solar manufacturers have received $1.4 billion in DOE loan guarantees since 1705's inception"** {1705 authorizes loan guarantees for alternative energy systems}. So, the failure of Solyndra is not helping an already-existing problem.
**Here is the website where I got my information: http://www.ases.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1516&Itemid=204
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