[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3775 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3775

  To support research and development of new industrial processes and 
    technologies that optimize energy efficiency and environmental 
 performance, utilize diverse sources of energy, and increase economic 
                            competitiveness.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 9, 2007

 Mr. Lampson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on Science and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To support research and development of new industrial processes and 
    technologies that optimize energy efficiency and environmental 
 performance, utilize diverse sources of energy, and increase economic 
                            competitiveness.

    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 ``Industrial Energy Efficiency 
Research and Development Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the Energy Information Administration's 
        2006 Annual Energy Review, the industrial sector in 2006 
        accounted for more energy use (32 percent) than the residential 
        (21 percent), commercial (18 percent), or transportation sector 
        (29 percent).
            (2) The Department of Energy has demonstrated the success 
        of public-private partnerships to research, develop, and deploy 
        new energy efficient technologies which reduce emissions and 
        improve manufacturing competitiveness.
            (3) Innovations in manufacturing processes may be 
        translated into efficiency improvements in buildings, 
        transportation, and other economic sectors.
            (4) While past public-private partnerships have resulted in 
        significant energy efficiency improvements in manufacturing 
        processes, there is a need for new technologies to achieve 
        continual energy efficiency improvements.
            (5) Innovations made in the last few decades assisted the 
        United States in remaining competitive in the global market. 
        Continued innovation in the areas of energy efficiency and 
        feedstock diversification are necessary to enable the United 
        States to maintain a competitive edge.
            (6) The Department of Energy should continue collaborative 
        efforts with industry, particularly the manufacturing sector, 
        to broaden and accelerate the high-risk research and 
        development of new manufacturing processes that optimize energy 
        efficiency and utilize diverse sources of energy.
            (7) These partnerships support critical research and 
        development capabilities at universities and other research 
        institutions while training engineers in critical areas of 
        energy systems and efficient industrial process technologies.

SEC. 3. INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy (in this Act referred to 
as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a program, in cooperation with 
energy-intensive industries, industry trade associations representing 
such industries, and institutions of higher education, to conduct 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application 
activities with respect to new industrial and commercial processes, 
technologies, and methods to--
            (1) achieve--
                    (A) substantial improvements in energy efficiency; 
                and
                    (B) environmental performance improvements such as 
                waste reduction, emissions reductions, and more 
                efficient water use; and
            (2) enhance the economic competitiveness of the United 
        States industrial sector.
    (b) Program Activities.--Research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application activities under this section may include--
            (1) activities to support the development and use of 
        technologies and processes that improve the quality and 
        quantity of feedstocks recovered or recycled from process and 
        waste streams;
            (2) research to meet manufacturing feedstock requirements 
        with alternative resources;
            (3) research to develop and demonstrate technologies and 
        processes that utilize alternative energy sources to supply 
        heat, power, and new feedstocks for energy-intensive 
        industries;
            (4) research to achieve energy efficiency in steam, power, 
        control system, and process heat technologies, and in other 
        manufacturing processes; and
            (5) a program to fund research, development, and 
        demonstration relating to inventors' and small companies' 
        technology proposals, based on energy savings potential, 
        commercial viability, and technical merit.
    (c) Financial Assistance.--Financial assistance under this section 
may be in the form of grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements, 
which shall be subject to cost sharing as required under applicable 
Federal law.
    (d) Competitive Awards.--All awards under this section shall be 
made on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
    (e) Coordination and Nonduplication.--The Secretary shall, 
coordinate efforts under this section with other programs of the 
Department and other Federal agencies, to avoid duplication of effort.

SEC. 4. UNIVERSITY-BASED INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT CENTERS.

    To strengthen the program under section 3, the Secretary shall 
provide funding to university-based industrial research and assessment 
centers, whose purpose shall be--
            (1) to identify opportunities for optimizing energy 
        efficiency and environmental performance;
            (2) to promote application of emerging concepts and 
        technologies in small and medium-sized manufacturers;
            (3) to promote the research and development for usage of 
        alternative energy sources to supply heat, power, and new 
        feedstocks for energy intensive industries;
            (4) to coordinate with appropriate State research offices, 
        and provide a clearinghouse for industrial process and energy 
        efficiency technical assistance resources; and
            (5) to coordinate with State-accredited technical training 
        centers and community colleges, while ensuring appropriate 
        services to all regions of the United States.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this Act $150,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 
2013.
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