HR 2774 IHRHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To support the research, development, and commercial application of solar energy technologies, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

June 19, 2007

Ms. GIFFORDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and TechnologyCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To support the research, development, and commercial application of solar energy technologies, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Solar Energy Research and Advancement Act of 2007'. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act: CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The term `Department' means the Department of Energy. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Energy. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment- The Secretary shall establish a program of research and development to provide lower cost and more viable thermal energy storage technologies to enable the shifting of electric power loads on demand and extend the operating time of concentrating solar power electric generating plants. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER COMMERCIAL APPLICATION STUDIES.

(a) Integration- The Secretary shall conduct a study on methods to integrate concentrating solar power into regional electricity transmission systems, and to identify new transmission or transmission upgrades needed to bring electricity from high concentrating solar power resource areas to growing electric power load centers throughout the United States. The study shall analyze and assess cost-effective approaches for management and large-scale integration of concentrating solar power into regional electric transmission grids to improve electric reliability, to efficiently manage load, and to reduce demand on the natural gas transmission system for electric power. The Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the results of this study not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Water Consumption- Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of a study on methods to reduce the amount of water consumed by concentrating solar power systems. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(a) Establishment- The Secretary shall establish in the Office of Solar Energy Technologies a competitive grant program to create and strengthen solar industry workforce training and internship programs in installation, operation, and maintenance of solar energy products. The goal of this program is to ensure a supply of well-trained individuals to support the expansion of the solar energy industry. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Authorized Activities- Grant funds may be used to support the following activities: CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Creation and development of a solar energy curriculum appropriate for the local educational, entrepreneurial, and environmental conditions, including curriculum for community colleges. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Support of certification programs, such as the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, for individual solar energy system installers, instructors, and training programs. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) Internship programs that provide hands-on participation by students in commercial applications. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) Activities required to obtain certification of training programs and facilities by the Institute of Sustainable Power or an equivalent industry-accepted quality-control certification program. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) Incorporation of solar-specific learning modules into traditional occupational training and internship programs for construction-related trades. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) The purchase of equipment necessary to carry out activities under this section. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) Support of programs that provide guidance and updates to solar energy curriculum instructors. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Administration of Grants- Grants may be awarded under this section for up to 3 years. The Secretary shall award grants to ensure sufficient geographic distribution of training programs nationally. Grants shall only be awarded for programs certified by the Institute of Sustainable Power or an equivalent industry-accepted quality-control certification institution, or for new and growing programs with a credible path to certification. Due consideration shall be given to women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Report- The Secretary shall make public, via the website of the Department or upon request, information on the name and institution for all grants awarded under this section, including a brief description of the project as well as the grant award amount. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(a) Establishment- The Secretary shall establish a program of research and development to provide assistance in the demonstration and commercial application of direct solar renewable energy sources to provide alternatives to traditional power generation for lighting and illumination, including light pipe technology, and to promote greater energy conservation and improved efficiency. All direct solar renewable energy devices supported under this program shall have the capability to provide measurable data on the amount of kilowatt-hours saved over the traditionally powered light sources they have replaced. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Reporting- The Secretary shall transmit to Congress an annual report on the results of a study assessing the measurable data derived from each project in the direct solar renewable energy sources program and the energy savings resulting from its use. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Definitions- For purposes of this section-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the term `direct solar renewable energy' means energy from a device that converts sunlight into useable light within a building, tunnel, or other enclosed structure, replacing artificial light generated by a light fixture and doing so without the conversion of the sunlight into another form of energy; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the term `light pipe' means a device designed to transport visible solar radiation from its collection point to the interior of a building while excluding interior heat gain in the nonheating season. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $3,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(a) In General- The Secretary shall establish a program of grants to States to demonstrate advanced photovoltaic technology. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Requirements- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) ABILITY TO MEET REQUIREMENTS- To receive funding under the program under this section, a State must submit a proposal that demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that the State will meet the requirements of subsection (f). CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS- If a State has received funding under this section for the preceding year, the State must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that it complied with the requirements of subsection (f) in carrying out the program during that preceding year, and that it will do so in the future, before it can receive further funding under this section. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) FUNDING ALLOCATION- Each State submitting a qualifying proposal shall receive funding under the program based on the proportion of United States population in the State according to the 2000 census. In each fiscal year, the portion of funds attributable under this paragraph to States that have not submitted qualifying proposals in the time and manner specified by the Secretary shall be distributed pro rata to the States that have submitted qualifying proposals in the specified time and manner. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Competition- If more than $25,000,000 is available for the program under this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate 75 percent of the total amount of funds available according to subsection (b)(3), and shall award the remaining 25 percent on a competitive basis to the States with the proposals the Secretary considers most likely to encourage the widespread adoption of photovoltaic technologies. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Proposals- Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and in each subsequent fiscal year for the life of the program, the Secretary shall solicit proposals from the States to participate in the program under this section. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Competitive Criteria- In awarding funds in a competitive allocation under subsection (c), the Secretary shall consider-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the likelihood of a proposal to encourage the demonstration of, or lower the costs of, advanced photovoltaic technologies; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the extent to which a proposal is likely to-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) maximize the amount of photovoltaics demonstrated; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) maximize the proportion of non-Federal cost share; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) limit State administrative costs. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) State Program- A program operated by a State with funding under this section shall provide competitive awards for the demonstration of advanced photo-voltaic technologies. Each State program shall-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) require a contribution of at least 60 percent per award from non-Federal sources, which may include any combination of State, local, and private funds, except that at least 10 percent of the funding must be supplied by the State; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) endeavor to fund recipients in the commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and residential sectors; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) limit State administrative costs to no more than 10 percent of the grant; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) report annually to the Secretary onmethods to reduce the amount of water consumed by concentrating solar power systems.-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the amount of funds disbursed; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the amount of photovoltaics purchased; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the results of the monitoring under paragraph (5); CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) provide for measurement and verification of the output of a representative sample of the photovoltaics systems demonstrated throughout the average working life of the systems, or at least 20 years; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) require that applicant buildings must have received an independent energy efficiency audit during the 6-month period preceding the filing of the application. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(g) Unexpended Funds- If a State fails to expend any funds received under subsection (b) or (c) within 3 years of receipt, such remaining funds shall be returned to the Treasury. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(h) Reports- The Secretary shall report to Congress 5 years after funds are first distributed to the States under this section-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the amount of photovoltaics demonstrated; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the number of projects undertaken; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the administrative costs of the program; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the amount of funds that each State has not received because of a failure to submit a qualifying proposal, as described in subsection (b)(3); CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) the results of the monitoring under subsection (f)(5); and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) the total amount of funds distributed, including a breakdown by State. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the purposes of carrying out this section-- CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink