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HR 3585 RH

Union Calendar No. 169

EHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

111th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 3585CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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To guide and provide for United States research, development, and demonstration 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 Technology Roadmap Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) SOLAR TECHNOLOGY- The term ‘solar technology’ means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) photovoltaic technologies, including technologies utilizing--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) crystalline silicon;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) cadmium telluride;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) semiconductor materials containing copper, indium, and selenium;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) thin film silicon;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) gallium arsenide alloy and multijunctions;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vi) dye-sensitized and organic solar cell technologies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(vii) concentrating photovoltaics; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(viii) other photovoltaic methods identified by the Secretary;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) solar thermal electricpower technology, including linear concentrator systems, dish/engine systems, and power tower systems, and other means;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) solar thermal water heating technology;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) solar heating and air conditioning technologies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) passive solar design in architecture, including both heating and lighting applications; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) related or enabling technologies, including thin films, semiconducting materials, transparent conductors, optics, and technologies that increase durability or decrease cost or weight.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

TITLE I--SOLAR TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATIONCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 101. PROGRAM.

(a) In General- The Secretary shall conduct a program of research, development, and demonstration for solar technology, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) photovoltaics and related electronic components, including inverters, charge controllers, and energy monitors;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) solar hot water and solar space heating and cooling;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) concentrating solar power;(4) , including both solar thermal and concentrating solar photovoltaic technologies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) lighting systems that integrate sunlight and electrical lighting in complement to each other in common lighting fixtures for the purpose of improving energy efficiency;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) manufacturability of low cost, high-quality solar energy systems;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) development of solar technology products that can be easily integrated into new and existing buildings;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





and(7 (7) development of solar technology products that are water efficient; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) development of storage technologies that can be used to increase the usefulness and value of solar technologies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) other areas as the Secretary considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Awards- The Secretary shall provide awards under this section to promote a diversity of research, development, and demonstration activities for solar technology on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) academic institutions, national laboratories, Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, Federal research agencies, State research agencies, nonprofit research organizations, industrial entities, or consortia thereof for research, development, and demonstration activities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) industry-led consortia for research, development, and demonstration of advanced techniques for manufacturing a variety of solar energy products.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that at least 75 percent of funding for solar technology research, development, and demonstration activities conducted by the Department of Energy after fiscal year 2014 support a diversity of activities identified by and recommended under the Solar Technology Roadmap as described in section 102.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Special Consideration- As a criteria for providing awards under this Act, the Secretary shall consider areas with high unemployment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Competitiveness- In carrying out section 105, tLimitation- The Department of Energy shall strongly consider projects utilizing solar technologies manufacturedprovide awards to projects for research, development, and demonstration of solar technologies and solar manufacturing in the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 102. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP.

(a) In General- Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee established under section 103 shall develop and transmit to the Secretary of Energy and the Congress a Solar Technology Roadmap that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) presents the best current estimate of the near-term (up to 2 years), mid-term (up to 7 years), and long-term (up to 15 years) research, development, and demonstration needs in solar technology; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) provides guidance to the solar technology research, development, and demonstration activities supported by the Federal Government for the purposes of meeting national priorities in energy security, United States competitiveness, mitigation of adverse environmental impacts, and energy diversification.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Contents- The Solar Technology Roadmap shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) identify research, development, and demonstration needs for a diversity of solar technologies to address--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the key solar energy production challenges of intermittency, transience, storage, and scaling, including determining--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) which solar-related technological solutions are appropriate for various applications, locations, and seasons;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) how to store excess solar energy in batteries, supercapacitors, compressed air, flywheels, hydrogen, synthetic fuels, thermal storage, or superconductors, or through other means;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) how and when to integrate solar energy into the electricity grid effectively, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) the integration of solar technologies with a Smart Grid;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(II) electrical power smoothing;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(III) microgrid integration;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(IV) solar resource forecasting;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(V) long distance transmission options, including direct current and superconducting transmission; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(VI) ways to address arbitrage over minutes, hours, days, weeks, and seasons with respect to the full range of project scales;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





and(iv) how best to integrate solar technologies into buildings; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) the technologies used to condition solar energy, including inverters, DC/DC converters, and battery chargers;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) modeling and simulation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the design, materials, and manufacture of solar technologies, as well as related factory sciences;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) the development of standards;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) the need for demonstration facilities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) optimized packaging methods;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) environmental, safety, and health concerns including reuse, recycling, hazardous materials disposal, and photovoltaic waste issues;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





and(H (H) the development of solar technology products that are water efficient; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) ways to reduce regional disparity in the use of solar technologies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(J) other areas identified by the Secretary;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) identify opportunities for coordination with partner industries such as those for semiconductors, lighting, energy storage, Smart Grid, and wind that can benefit from similar advances;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) establish research, development, and demonstration goals with recommended timeframes with respect to solar technologies for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) improving performance;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) decreasing cost of electricity generated;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) improving reliability;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





and(D) decreasing potential negative environmental impacts and maximizing the environmental benefits of solar technologies;(4 andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) improving the cost effectiveness and quality control of domestic manufacturing of implements and devices used in the production of solar energy;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) identify best practices for Department of Energy national laboratories in their collaborations with institutions of higher education and private industry to more efficiently and effectively bring new solar technologies to the marketplace;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) include recommendations, as appropriate, to guide solar technology research, development, and demonstration activities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





and(5 (6) provide recommendations on the necessary steps required to strengthen the link between solar technology research and the commercialization of those technologies into full scale manufacturing, including the retooling and reworking of the Nation’s existing technological and manufacturing base, as well as coordinating the national strategy in regions where solar technology clusters currently exist; CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) provide recommendations to Federal agencies on corresponding strategies to accelerate domestic commercialization of newly developed solar technologies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) outline the various technologies and practices considered by the Committee and the benefits and shortcomings of each, as appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Public Input- The Committee shall release a draft Roadmap to the public at least one month prior to publication in order to receive input from the public.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Revisions and Updates-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) REVISIONS- Once every 3 years after completion of the first Solar Technology Roadmap under this Act, the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall conduct a comprehensive review and revision of the Solar Technology Roadmap.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) UPDATES- The Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall update the Solar Technology Roadmap annually as necessary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Consultation- The Solar Roadmap Committee shall consult with the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, the Department of Defense, and the General Services Administration on the potential for solar demonstration projects on Federal lands.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 103. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP COMMITTEE.

(a) Establishment- Not later than 4 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish, and provide support for as necessary, a Solar Technology Roadmap Committee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Membership-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall consist of at least 11 members. Each member shall be appointed by the Secretary from among subject matter experts representing--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) different sectors of the domestic solar technology industry, including manufacturers, solar applications developers, and equipment suppliers;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) national laboratories;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) academia;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) relevant Federal agencies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) relevant State and local government entities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) private research institutions;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) minority-serving institutions; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(GH) other entities or organizations, as appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) TERMS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term of a member of the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall be 3 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) ORIGINAL TERMS- Of the members appointed originally to the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee, approximately 1/3 shall be appointed for a 2-year term, approximately 1/3 shall be appointed for a 3-year term, and approximately 1/3 shall be appointed for a 4-year term.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) LIMIT ON TERMS- A member of the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee may serve more than 1 term, except that such member may not serve a subsequent term unless 2 years have elapsed since the end of a previous term.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION- At least 1/3 and not more than 1/2 of the members of the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall be individuals described in paragraph (1)(A).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) CHAIR- The Secretary shall select a Chair from among the members of the Committee. The Chair shall not be an employee of the Federal Government.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST- The Secretary, in appointing members to the Committee, shall make every effort to ensure that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) no individual appointed to serve on the Committee has a conflict of interest that is relevant to the functions to be performed, unless such conflict is promptly and publicly disclosed and the Secretary determines that a waiver is appropriate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the Committee membership is fairly balanced as determined by the Secretary to be appropriate for the functions to be performed; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the final report of the Committee will be the result of the Committee’s independent judgment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





The Secretary shall require that individuals that are appointed or intended to be to appointed to serve on the Committee inform the Department of Energy of any individual’s conflicts of interest that are relevant to the functions to be performed.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) 7) GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION- The Secretary shall consider individuals that represent diverse geographic regions of the United States for membership of the Committee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Expert Advice- In developing the Solar Technology Roadmap, the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee may establish subcommittees, working groups comprised of experts outside the membership of the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee, and other means of gathering expert advice on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) particular solar technologies, applications, or technological challenges;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) crosscutting issues or activities relating to more than 1 particular solar technology or technological challenge; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) any other area the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Reporting- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Committee shall submit a report to the Secretary and the Congress on its activities over the prior 12-month period.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Compensation and Expenses- A member of the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall not be compensated for service on the Committee, but may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ef) Limitation- The Committee shall provide guidance on technological goals and activities but, consistent with requirements for the selection of recipients of funding on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis under section 101(b), shall not recommend or select specific recipients of funds.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(g) Federal Advisory Committee Act- The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 104. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.

The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall review and coordinate Federal interagency activities identified in and related to the Solar Technology Roadmap as appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 105. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

(a) Establishment of Program- The Secretary shall establish a program to provide grants for demonstration projects to support the development of solar energy production, consistent with the Solar Technology Roadmap as available.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Implementation- In carrying out the demonstration program under this section, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) include at least 10 photovoltaic technology projects that generate between 1 and 3 megawatts;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) include at least 3 but not more than 5 solar technology projects that generate greater than 30 megawatts;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





and(3 (3) include at least 2 solar thermal technology projects, with thermal storage, that generate between 1 and 3 megawatts continuously for a 24-hour period from energy provided entirely by the sun; and CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) make awards for projects that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) are located and can be replicated at a wide range of sitesin geographically dispersed regions of the country and are not concentrated in any single geographical region of the country;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) are located and can be replicated in a variety of regions and climates;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) demonstrate technologies that address intermittency, transience, storage challenges, and independent operational capability;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) facilitate identification of optimum techniques among competing alternatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) include business commercialization plans that have the potential for production of equipment at high volumes;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) improve United States competitiveness and lead to development of manufacturing technology;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) demonstrate positive environmental performance through life-cycle analysis;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(H) provide the greatest potential to reduce energy costs, as well as promote accessibility and community implementation of demonstrated technologies, for consumers;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) promote overall electric infrastructure reliability and sustainability should grid functions be disrupted or damaged; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(J) satisfy other criteria that the Secretary considers necessary to carry out the program; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) evaluate the potential to establish large photovoltaic facilities that produce at least 100 gigawatts, including an evaluation of the electrical grid, current, voltage, and energy storage requirements associated with large photovoltaic facilities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Grant Awards- Funding provided under this section may be used, to the extent that funding is not otherwise available through other Federal programs or power purchase agreements, for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a necessary and appropriate site engineering study;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a detailed economic assessment of site-specific conditions;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) appropriate feasibility studies to determine whether the demonstration can be replicated;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) installation of equipment, service, and support;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) operation for a minimum of 3 years and monitoring for the duration of the demonstration, using a monitoring methodology approved by Secretary; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) validation of technical, economic, and environmental assumptions and documentation of lessons learned.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Grant Selection- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall conduct a national solicitation for applications for grants under this section. Grant recipients shall be selected on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis. The Secretary shall give preference to proposals that address multiple elements described in subsection (b).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Limitations- Funding shall not be provided under this section for more than 50 percent of the costs of the project for which assistance is provided. Not more than a total of $300,000,000 shall be provided under this section for the period encompassing fiscal years 2011 through 2015.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Organic Photovoltaic Cell Technologies- At least 1 demonstration project awarded under this section during fiscal year 2011 shall be for the demonstration of organic photovoltaic cell technologies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 106. PHOTOVOLTAIC PERFORMANCE STUDY.

(a) In General- Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress and the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee the results of a study that analyzes the performance of photovoltaic installations in the United States. The study shall assess the current performance of photovoltaic installations and identify opportunities to improve the energy productivity of these systems. Such study shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) identification of the average energy productivity of current commercial and residential installations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) assessment of areas where energy productivity is reduced, including wire loss, module mismatch, shading, dust, and other factors;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) identification of technology development and technical standards that improve energy productivity;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) analysis of the potential cost savings and energy productivity gains to the Federal, State, and local governments, utilities, private enterprise, and consumers available through the adoption, installation, and use of high-performance photovoltaic technologies and practices;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





and(5) an overview of current government incentives at the Federal, State, and local levels that encourage the adoption of highly efficient photovoltaic systems and practices; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) assessment of current financing models available to consumers used to offset high upfront costs by accounting for the long term economic benefits of solar energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Public Input- The Secretary shall ensure that interested stakeholders, including affected industry stakeholders and energy efficiency advocates, have a meaningful opportunity to provide comments, data, and other information on the scope, contents, and conclusions of the study. All forums for the Department to receive this input from interested stakeholders shall be announced in the Federal Register.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 107. REPORT.

SEC. 108. SOLAR ENERGY PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION.

(a) In General- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out section 101(a)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2014; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) $550,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Roadmap Identified Activities- The Secretary shall dedicate a percentage of funding received pursuant to subsection (a) for research, development, and demonstration activities identified by and recommended under the Solar Technology Roadmap in the following percentages:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) For fiscal year 2012, at least 30 percent.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) For fiscal year 2013, at least 45 percent.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) For fiscal year 2014, at least 60 percent.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) For fiscal year 2015, at least 75 percent.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Solar Technology Roadmap- The Secretary may use up to $2,000,000 of the funds appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) for each fiscal year to support the establishment and maintenance of the Solar Technology Roadmap.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Extension of Authorizations- Of funds authorized by subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) section 602 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17171) $12,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2015;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) section 604 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17172) $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2015;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) section 605 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17173) $3,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2015; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) section 606 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17174) $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2015.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 1089. EXISTING PROGRAMS.

Except as otherwise specified in this Act, this Act shall supersede any duplicative solar research, development, and demonstration programs within the Department of Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 10910. REPEALS.

The following are hereby repealed:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The Solar Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5551 et seq.), except for section 10.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5581 et seq.).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) Section 4(a)(2) and (3) of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technology Competitiveness Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 12003(a)(2) and (3)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

TITLE II--PHOTOVOLTAIC RECYCLINGCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 201. PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE RECYCLING RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION.

(a) Definition- In this section, the term ‘photovoltaic device’ includes photovoltaic cells and the electronic and electrical components of such devices.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) In General- In order to address the issues described in section 102(b)(1)(G), the Secretary shall award multiyear grants for research, development, and demonstration activities to create innovative and practical approaches to increase reuse and recycling of photovoltaic devices and, through such activities, to contribute to the professional development of scientists, engineers, and technicians in the fields of photovoltaic and electronic device manufacturing, design, refurbishing, and recycling. The activities supported under this section shall address--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) technology to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic device recycling and maximize the recovery of valuable raw materials for use in new products while minimizing the life-cycle environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and water usage;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) expanded uses for materials from recycled photovoltaic devices;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) development and demonstration of environmentally responsible alternatives to the use of hazardous materials in photovoltaic devices and the production of such devices;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) development of methods to separate and remove hazardous materials from photovoltaic devices and to recycle or dispose of those materials in a safe manner;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) product design and construction to facilitate disassembly and recycling of photovoltaic devices;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) tools and methods to aid in assessing the environmental impacts of the production of photovoltaic devices and photovoltaic device recycling and disposal;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) product design and construction and other tools and techniques to extend the life cycle of photovoltaic devices, including methods to promote their safe reuse;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) strategies to increase consumer acceptance and practice of recycling of photovoltaic devices; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) processes to reduce the costs and environmental impact of disposal of toxic materials used in photovoltaic devices.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Merit Review- Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Applications- Each application shall include a description of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the project that will be undertaken and the contributions of each participating entity;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the applicability of the project to increasing reuse and recycling of photovoltaic devices with the least environmental impacts as measured by life-cycle analyses, and the potential for incorporating the research results into industry practice; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) how the project will promote collaboration among scientists and engineers from different disciplines, such as electrical engineering, materials science, and social science.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Dissemination of Results- The results of activities supported under this section shall be made publicly available through--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) development of best practices or training materials for use in the photovoltaics manufacturing, design, refurbishing, or recycling industries;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) dissemination at industry conferences;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) coordination with information dissemination programs relating to recycling of electronic devices in general;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) demonstration projects; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) educational materials for the public produced in conjunction with State and local governments or nonprofit research organizations on the problems and solutions related to reuse and recycling of photovoltaic devices.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Photovoltaic Materials Physical Property Database-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall establish a comprehensive physical property database of materials for use in photovoltaic devices. This database shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) identification of materials used in photovoltaic devices;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) a list of commercially available amounts of these materials;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) amounts of these materials projected to be available through mining or recycling of photovoltaic and other electronic devices; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) a list of other significant uses for each of these materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) PRIORITIES- The Secretary, working with private industry, shall develop a plan to establish priorities and requirements for the database under this subsection, including the protection of proprietary information, trade secrets, and other confidential business information.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) COORDINATION- The Secretary shall coordinate with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to facilitate the incorporation of the database under this subsection with any existing database for electronic manufacturing and recycling.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Union Calendar No. 169

Passed the House of Representatives October 22, 2009. CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

111th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 3585CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

[Report No. 111-302]

A BILL

AN ACT CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To guide and provide for United States research, development, and demonstration of solar energy technologies, and for other purposes.

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October 15, 2009

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

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