The Real Reason the Obama Administration Backed Solyndra
October 22nd, 2011 | by Susan Kraemer
The Obama administration had set a goal, for the public good, of cutting solar costs to $1 a watt installed by 2016. The reason that the Obama Department of Energy invested a half million in backing some of the private VC loans (which totaled $1 billion) to Solyndra was that the company had a way to bring down the cost of solar. The unique solar panel they made was key to this effort. Note that the Solyndra roof (pictured) is quite different from the typical solar roof. That difference is key. Solyndra wasn't just another solar panel manufacturer, making just another thing that could be more cheaply made in China
