Abound Cad Tel panels

The dozens of solar technology start-ups in the U.S. are taking different routes to bringing their products to market.

Abound Solar last week finalized a $400 million Department of Energy loan guarantee, which is being combined with $110 million in private equity. The money will allow the company to expand its current manufacturing facility in Longmont, Colo., and build a very large plant in Indiana in the next two years.

The company's manufacturing technology, which comes out of Colorado State University, coats thin films of photovoltaic material on two sheets of glass. The cadmium telluride thin-film solar panels are made in about a half hour, quicker than traditional thin-film processes, according to the company.

See related story: Why solar start-ups need Uncle Sam.