solyndra

Senator asks Obama to curb Chinese solar panels

A Democratic senator today urged President Barack Obama to use U.S. trade laws to restrict surging imports of solar panels from China in a sign that high U.S. unemployment is increasing trade tensions.

"The American solar industry is facing unparalleled challenges and without the leadership of your administration this industry may disappear leaving behind additional workers without employment," Sen. Ron Wyden said in a letter.

"Letting that happen is unacceptable."

The plea came just days after solar-panel maker Solyndra filed for bankruptcy, becoming the third U.S. solar firm to succumb to pressure from China in recent weeks.

Solyndra said it had been unable to bring down its costs quickly enough to compete with cheaper panels from China despite receiving more than $535 million in U.S. federal loan guarantees.

"Chinese imports of solar panels are surging and are on pace to increase 240 percent this year, compared to 2010," Wyden said. "Furthermore, imports of Chinese solar panels increased 1,593 percent between 2006 and 2010."

The Oregon Democrat said the Obama administration has "ample tools" to restrict the imports, including possible anti-dumping or countervailing duties. … Read more

Solyndra office searched by FBI

The FBI is searching the offices of solar company Solyndra in Fremont, Calif., this morning, the agency confirmed.

Agents began the search around 7:30 a.m. PT and were seen interviewing employees and moving in the parking lot of Solyndra's offices, the San Jose Mercury News reported today. The ongoing search is part of a joint operation between the FBI and Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General, an FBI representative said.

Solyndra last week abruptly shut down its solar panel manufacturing operation in Fremont and laid off more than 1,000 workers. On Tuesday, it declared bankruptcy … Read more

Solyndra CFO won't say if solar maker to stay in U.S.

The chief financial officer of bankrupt startup Solyndra, which had ramped up its operations after getting a government loan for solar companies, declined to say yesterday if potential buyers would keep its business in the United States.

Under questioning at a bankruptcy court hearing from a government attorney, CFO W.G. Stover declined to identify either of the two companies that have shown an interest in Solyndra's operations, or even where they were based.

Asked if the potential buyers might move Solyndra's unique solar cylinder business overseas, Stover would only say doing so would increase the cost to … Read more

This Day in Tech: Yahoo's Bartz is out; Google's Korean offices raided

Too busy to keep up with today's tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Tuesday, September 6.

• CNET got the scoop about Google's mobile search practices. Korean trustbusters raid Google offices in Seoul. Jay Greene writes: "Regulators are apparently interested in information about Google allegedly limiting access to rival search engines on its Android mobile operating system."

•Yahoo's Carol Bartz is out as CEO; fired by the board. Chief Financial Officer Tim Morse will fill in as CEO.

• Just because you're not checking into Foursquare doesn't mean … Read more

Solyndra bankruptcy was disaster waiting to happen

news analysis Solar manufacturer Solyndra filed for bankruptcy protection today, capping a stunning reversal for the government-backed company in a drama that's raising questions about U.S. industrial policy in green technology.

The Chapter 11 filing follows Solyndra's decision last week to shut down its Fremont, Calif., factory and lay off about 1,100 employees and contractors, saying it could not compete with low-cost manufacturers in other countries.

Solyndra is being held up as a case of the federal government not doing its homework picking companies to back in an effort to create jobs.

But is there some … Read more

Solyndra to file for bankruptcy; suspends operations

American solar-system manufacturer Solyndra announced today that it would suspend operations immediately and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

More than 1,000 employees have been laid off, effective immediately.

The company offered "global economic and solar industry market conditions" as the reason. In March 2009, the company received a $535 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Treasury's Federal Financing Bank. The money was used to expand manufacturing capacity in Fremont, Calif.

Options for the company's bankruptcy include the licensing of its CIGS technology and manufacturing expertise and an outright sale of its business.

The … Read more

Seattle Seahawks home to add Solyndra solar panels

The Seattle Seahawks stadium, Qwest Field Event Center, is adding solar panels to its roof.

The solar arrays from Fremont, Calif.-based Solyndra are racks of thin-film CIGS (copper, indium, gallium, and selenide) solar cells shaped like tubes. The racks will cover approximately 2.5 acres, about 80 percent, of Qwest Field, Solyndra announced yesterday.

Solyndra is known for its tube-shape solar cells that capture direct, diffuse, and reflected sunlight throughout the day without the need for a rotating mechanism, the method often used to maximize the efficiency of flat solar panels.

The arrays for Qwest Field will come from Solyndra's state-of-the-art solar manufacturing plant in California, which was built in part with a $535 million federal loan guarantee from the Department of Energy. The plant is a showcase for U.S. green-tech manufacturing: It employs over 1,000 people operating robotics manufacturing tools as a way to curb production costs and compete against inexpensive solar panels from China while keeping jobs in the U.S.… Read more

Solar collector doubles as greenhouse shade

Solyndra has found a second use for its solar collector as a shade for greenhouses.

The company on Monday said that that its solar collectors, which are an array of solar cell-covered glass tubes, are being tested at agriculture research centers in Italy and the University of California, Davis.

A conventional flat solar panel would block essentially all light, but Solyndra's collectors allow for light to pass through the glass tubes, which are coated with thin-film solar cells. That provides a diffused light conducive to greenhouse plant growth and allows growers to use their available space for power production, … Read more

Robots meet solar at Solyndra Fab 2

Robotics manufacturing tends to evoke visions of a John Henry-esque scenario in which competent women and men lose jobs to hunks of automated metal.

But in the case of Solyndra it may be robots that help American workers compete more effectively against China's low-cost labor force.

Consider the video that solar manufacturer Solyndra released this week illustrating how thin-film CIGS (copper, indium, gallium, and selenide) solar modules are produced.

In reality, the video (see below) is a showcase for the company's new state-of-the-art solar manufacturing plant, built with a $535 million federal loan guarantee from the Department of Energy, … Read more