[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5643 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5643

 To authorize the commercial application and transfer of technologies 
     developed by the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 20, 2006

 Mrs. Biggert (for herself, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Hall, and Mr. Gilchrest) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                                Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the commercial application and transfer of technologies 
     developed by the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Technology Transfer Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Cooperative extension.--The term ``Cooperative 
        Extension'' means the extension services established at the 
        land-grant colleges and universities under the Smith-Lever Act 
        of May 8, 1914.
            (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
            (3) Energy supply research and development programs.--The 
        term ``energy supply research and development programs'' means 
        the research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
        application programs in the Office of Energy Efficiency and 
        Renewable Energy, the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 
        Reliability, and the Office of Fossil Energy.
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (5) Land-grant colleges and universities.--The term ``land-
        grant colleges and universities'' means--
                    (A) 1862 Institutions (as defined in section 2 of 
                the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education 
                Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601));
                    (B) 1890 Institutions (as defined in section 2 of 
                that Act); and
                    (C) 1994 Institutions (as defined in section 2 of 
                that Act).
            (6) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given the term ``nonmilitary energy 
        laboratory'' in section 903(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
        (42 U.S.C. 16182(3)).
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 3. PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Grants.--The Secretary, through the energy supply 
        research and development programs of the Department, shall 
        carry out a program to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants 
        to Cooperative Extension services or offices, States, local 
        governments, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit 
        institutions with expertise in energy research or extension, or 
        consortia thereof, to conduct activities to transfer knowledge 
        and information about advanced energy technologies that 
        increase efficiency of energy use, especially those developed 
        at the National Laboratories and by the Department, to 
        individuals, businesses, nonprofit entities, and public 
        entities, including local governments and school districts.
            (2) Requirement.--To receive funding under this Act, a 
        grant applicant must already operate an outreach program 
        capable of transferring knowledge and information about 
        advanced energy technologies that increase efficiency of energy 
        use, or must partner with an entity that has such an outreach 
        program.
    (b) Uses of Funds.--Funds awarded under this Act may be used for 
the following activities:
            (1) Developing and distributing informational materials on 
        technologies that could use energy more efficiently.
            (2) Carrying out small-scale projects to demonstrate 
        technologies that could use energy more efficiently.
            (3) Developing and conducting seminars, workshops, long-
        distance learning sessions, and other activities to aid in the 
        dissemination of knowledge and information on technologies that 
        could use energy more efficiently.
            (4) Providing or coordinating onsite energy evaluations for 
        a wide range of energy end-users.
            (5) Examining the energy efficiency needs of energy end-
        users to develop recommended research projects for the 
        Department.
            (6) Hiring experts in energy efficient technologies to 
        carry out activities described in paragraphs (1) through (5).
            (7) Carrying out any other activities the Secretary 
        believes will accomplish the purposes described in subsection 
        (a)(1).
    (c) Selection Process Application.--An applicant seeking funding 
under this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
            (1) a description of the applicant's current outreach 
        program and of why it would be capable of transferring 
        knowledge and information about advanced energy technologies 
        that increase efficiency of energy use;
            (2) a description of the activities the applicant would 
        carry out, of the technologies that would be transferred, and 
        of who would be carrying out those activities;
            (3) a description of how the proposed activities would be 
        appropriate to the specific energy needs of the area to be 
        served;
            (4) an estimate of the number and types of energy end-users 
        expected to be reached through such activities; and
            (5) a description of how the applicant will assess the 
        success of the program.
    (d) Review of Applications.--In evaluating the applications 
submitted under this Act, the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--
            (1) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out 
        the proposed program;
            (2) the appropriateness of the applicant's outreach program 
        for carrying out the program described in this Act; and
            (3) the likelihood that proposed activities could be 
        expanded or used as a model for other areas.
    (e) Awards.--
            (1) Distribution.--In making awards under this Act, the 
        Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, the 
        program enables the transfer of knowledge and information about 
        a variety of technologies and enables the transfer of knowledge 
        and information in a variety of geographic areas.
            (2) Focus.--In making awards under this Act, the Secretary 
        shall give priority to applicants that would significantly 
        expand on or fill a gap in existing programs in a geographical 
        region.
    (f) Cost Sharing.--The Secretary shall require cost-sharing in 
accordance with the requirements of section 988 of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352) for commercial application activities.
    (g) Duration.--
            (1) Initial grant period.--A grant awarded under this Act 
        shall be for a period of 5 years.
            (2) Initial evaluation.--Each grantee under this Act shall 
        be evaluated during its third year of operation under 
        procedures established by the Secretary to determine if the 
        grantee is accomplishing the purposes of this Act described in 
        subsection (a)(1). The Secretary shall terminate any grant that 
        does not receive a positive evaluation. If an evaluation is 
        positive, the Secretary may extend the grant for 3 additional 
        years beyond the original term of the grant.
            (3) Additional extension.--If a grantee receives an 
        extension under paragraph (2), the grantee shall be evaluated 
        again during the second year of the extension. The Secretary 
        shall terminate any grant that does not receive a positive 
        evaluation. If an evaluation is positive, the Secretary may 
        extend the grant for a final additional period of 3 additional 
        years beyond the original extension.
            (4) Limitation.--No grantee may receive more than 11 years 
        of support under this Act without reapplying for support and 
        competing against all other applicants seeking a grant at that 
        time.
    (h) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary and the National 
Laboratories may provide technical assistance on advanced energy 
technologies and methods to grantees.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section--
            (1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
            (2) $27,375,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            (3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            (4) $32,900,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            (5) $36,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
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