Solyndra

Solyndra LLC was an American solar energy company based in Fremont, California. Founded in 2005, the company developed and manufactured thin-film photovoltaic modules that used a cylindrical design rather than conventional flat panels. The modules employed a copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) semiconductor and were assembled into tubular structures that could be mounted with minimal shading.

Solyndra grew rapidly, attracting venture funding and government support as part of the U.S. effort to expand domestic solar manufacturing. The company completed a large manufacturing facility in Fremont and expanded capacity in 2010, signaling ambitious growth during the early stage of the U.S. solar industry.

In 2009-2010, Solyndra received a $535 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The loan guarantee was intended to promote domestic solar production and job creation, but the company faced mounting competition from inexpensive crystalline silicon panels produced by Chinese manufacturers, along with a challenging market environment.

In August 2011, Solyndra filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and announced the layoff of most of its remaining workforce, affecting about 1,100 employees. The bankruptcy effectively ended Solyndra's operations and led to the liquidation of the majority of its assets. The episode became a focal point in debates over government loan guarantee programs and U.S. efforts to commercialize solar manufacturing, prompting investigations and policy discussions, though no criminal charges related to the company’s collapse were pursued.