Nanosolar Inc., the Silicon Valley startup pioneering a way to make thin-film solar panels, has lost its chief scientist, Chris Eberspacher. Nanosolar is one of several thin-film solar companies using copper-indium-gallium-selenide, or CIGS, as the basic material for its products, rather than silicon. Solar startups working with CIGS, such as Nanosolar, Miasole Inc., Konarka Technologies Inc. and Heliovolt Inc., have raised more than $280 million in venture capital in the last few years.

The goal is to make cheaper and flexible solar panels that could be applied like a film over windows, rooftops and other places. They are not as efficient as solar panels made of silicon, but because they can work in more places, they don't have to be. They're also cheaper — at least that's the plan. Last month, Miasole copped to manufacturing problems and said it would delay commercial production of its thin-film solar cells. Perhaps these snags are only growing pains for the nascent industry, but it's something to keep an eye on. — Stacey Higginbotham

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