A tiny solar company named SoloPower Inc. will flip the switch on production at a U.S. factory Thursday, a major step toward allowing it to tap a $197 million government loan guarantee awarded under the same controversial program that supported failed panel maker Solyndra LLC, Reuters reported.

SoloPower has initiated a strategy to differentiate it from struggling commodity players in the solar panel industry.

Still, there are several similarities between SoloPower and Solyndra, which became a lightning rod in the U.S. presidential campaign this year after taking in more than $500 million in government loans and then filing for bankruptcy.

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