[Palter]

Chinese solar companies are taking a number on the Germans. I can see part of their abilities. Cheap labor and low pollution standards.

German Solar Firms Eclipsed by Chinese Rivals

'Green energy used to be Germany's great hope for its economic future. But now the German solar industry is in trouble amid huge losses, job cuts and the threat of bankruptcies. Chinese firms are gaining an ever greater share of the German market -- and are benefiting from German subsidies for renewable energy.'

[indthkr]

"Cheap labor and low pollution standards.

Apparently neither the Germans nor Solyndra have developed a defensible position wrt technology intellectual property.

If they had competative IP with a clear price /performance advantage, then the Chinese would have a much harder time just dumping cheap tech.

Otherwise, it's just the law of the jungle, and there isn't a single useful industry in Germany or the USA that the Chinese can't undercut.

(Notice I said "useful" industry, so I had to leave out Lawyering and Journalists)