Years ago when I first began to think of the overwhelming advantages solar and wind energy posed for the future of our nation I didn't understand why these tactics had not already been implemented. Here I was, 18 years old, saying to myself - "How hard could it be?" I didn't understand the complex bureaucracy and red tape surrounding the issue. I figured you could just throw up a couple solar panels here, a few windmills there and voila, green energy! But of course that couldn't be further from the truth.
Solyndra, the first solar company approved for an energy department loan only two months into Obama's presidency, is now threatening the presidents entire green-energy agenda. The $527 million venture was supposed to be the president's saving grace, proving that his administration could fund good projects quickly. This was step one in making America a strong, green nation. But now, three years later, Solyndra is bankrupt and out of business and people want answers. But the story of Solyndra's collapse has more to do with a failing American green energy agenda than Solyndra's failed planning.
Back in 2005 the then up and coming solar industry was having trouble growing because of the high costs of installation and the high prices of silicon (an essential ingredient in solar panels). So Solyndra got creative and designed solar panels that were both silicon-free and easier to install. A move that I'm sure seemed ingenious at the time. But while the U.S. was slowly tackling this problem, China's government threw buckets of money into their growing solar industry. In 2010 alone China invested twenty times more into their solar industry than the U.S. Astonishing! As a result global silicon prices soon dropped leaving Solyndra's non-silicon design out by the curb, and now China holds 54% of the global solar technology market. Ouch!
Solyndra's sudden collapse raises questions about the job promises that green energy was supposed to create. When Solyndra closed its doors in late August 1,100 employees were laid off leaving many to ask - "How long before green energy pays off and how far behind China will we be?"
What you should grasp from this blog:
While reading this and the subsequent article please understand the issue at hand. Our country is falling behind. Green energy is necessary for the future of our nation and our government is failing. Green energy not only holds importance for us, but for future generations.
The Solyndra Syndrome
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