A green tech story

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view post Posted on 17/9/2011, 14:36
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This is a story about a solar panel producer in the USA. It had 1100 people under its wing and was about to expand to 3000 employees thanks to major subsidies from the (evil?) Government. Yet, they didn't make it.

So, how do you want it told?

Maybe a video with a bit of humour? Then pick: Door no. 1.

Or would you prefer it to have a more newspapery feel? I can understand. Choose: Door no. 2.

Ah, you're still here? I guess you're a facts person. Well, this is the internet. We don't have those here. But we do have a wiki! Door no. 3.

Let's see... You didn't like the wiki, the news, and your weren't tempted by humour, either?? Well, then you must be a conspiracy theorist! Let's link this whole thing to Bush, then, shall we? Weapon of choice: Using a historical overview of the events leading up to the bankruptcy. At: Door no. 4.

And lastly, a door of less than 144 characters: Door no. 5.

Well, that's the story. I'll leave you with another of Klein's statements:

"Green jobs work, crony capitalism doesn't. Solyndra's workers should have a shot at running the factory themselves."

And I agree. Because I'm a sucker for happy endings.
 
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FionaK
view post Posted on 17/9/2011, 15:41




Humour is closed to me because I am british. But I read the other things. It is instructive all the various agendas: but in the end I am not sure why this plant failed. Does anybody actually explain that?
 
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view post Posted on 17/9/2011, 16:02
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Not sure. Jon Stewart of the humour door, which is apparently unavailable in the UK, said it had to with that they were selling 6$/Watt panels for 3$/Watt. Which is kind of a bad deal, if intend to run on sales profits.
 
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bobc
view post Posted on 13/10/2011, 00:38




QUOTE (Vninect @ 17/9/2011, 17:02) 
Not sure. Jon Stewart of the humour door, which is apparently unavailable in the UK, said it had to with that they were selling 6$/Watt panels for 3$/Watt. Which is kind of a bad deal, if intend to run on sales profits.

I think that is pretty much it. They may have had a better technology on paper, but it was more costly to make. When the price of conventional panels dropped sharply (due to increased supply), they were unable to compete by cutting costs. It sounds like a typical high tech startup to me.

Startups like that tread a fine line between being a scam and overconfidence. No-one knows for sure whether the product will sell before it actually goes on sale, and to get a competitive product costs requires high volume, which means a big up front investment, to get investment the technology has to be hyped - it's a high stakes gamble. There is plenty of opportunity for well placed to make money, even if the venture fails. New tech rarely lives up to the hype, and if the market conditions change in the 5 years it takes to get product on the market then the game is over before they reach a profitable break-even point.
 
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3 replies since 17/9/2011, 14:36   63 views
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