The fed’s piggy bank has been the subject of much debate this summer as Democrats and Republicans clashed over the deficit and budget planning.

No less controversial is federal financing of renewable energy projects, part of a strategy to both reduce national dependence on foreign oil and limit greenhouse gas emissions as part of addressing the threat of global climate change. But with federally-backed companies like solar manufacturer Solyndra recently filing for bankruptcy, some are saying that the government is making bad bets and investing in the wrong places. Keep reading →