Before we get to this week's solar news, let me sneak in a biggie from last Friday. Solyndra, one of the more high-profile CIGS thin-film startups, landed a huge $535 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy. This loan program has been on the books for several years, but Solyndra is the first to see any support. Secretary Chu and others in the new administration are clearly serious about speeding along such funding, and they should be applauded for ripping away the red tape.
That brings us to Tuesday, which saw Siemens snag a stake in a solar power plant specialist. Over a year ago we learned that United Technologies
On Wednesday, rumors swirled that beaten-down wafer-maker MEMC Electronic Materials
The day my article ran, however, solar stocks of all stripes experienced a supernova when China announced a generous new subsidy. This was sensible enough in the case of hometown heroes like Suntech Power
Rounding out the week was a release by Suntech Power highlighting the efficiency achievements of its Pluto cell technology, and an announcement by Yingli Green Energy