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Solyndra's Thin-Film Solar Cells Draw $1.2 Billion In Orders
SolarSells writes "Solyndra makes funky-looking cylindrical solar cells that resemble compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Their products are meant for office buildings, and are made from a thin coating of copper indium gallium diselenide on glass tubes. Although they might not be able to fill them till 2012, the company has already received $1.2 billion in orders. Their manufacturing tricks make the cells so cheap that they may be competitive with other forms of power even after solar subsidies are phased out."
Obligatory link to manufacturer.
"He may look like an idiot, and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot." - Duck Soup
In essence, solar costs about $.30/kwh. http://www.solarbuzz.com/SolarPrices.htm Location is important. Costs more in Germany, less in California. http://www.solarbuzz.com/statsCosts.htm. This competes against under $.10/kwh in the US for other sources. But there are variations around the world and even within the US http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html
The world is made by those who show up for the job.
Yeah, it's not as though nuclear power or oil or coal companies have come to the Congress with their hands held out, is it?
Nope, it's just that solar and wind get an order of magnitude more subsidies, and a shitton less regulation.
I work as a process engineer Solyndra, I don't know if it is right for me to comment on this or not, but fighting bogosity is my hobby. Of course we did hail tests, I was involved. We shot homemade hail iceball out of a painball gun at our panels and confirmed that they could survive. Our panels have already been through hailstorms around the world. No tube breaks due to hail.