1.Social and behavioral
sciences research program
(a)The Secretary shall
establish a social and behavioral sciences research program to identify and
understand social and behavioral factors that influence energy consumption and
acceptance and adoption rates of new energy technologies, and to promote the
utilization of the results of social and behavioral research to improve the
design, development, demonstration, and application of energy
technologies.
(b)The
Secretary shall appoint or designate a Director of Social and Behavioral
Research to carry out the program established under this section.
(c)The Director
shall—
(1)develop a research
plan in accordance with section 2;
(2)implement the
research program under this section;
(3)work with the
relevant Department of Energy program offices to integrate the results of
social and behavioral research into their work;
(4)develop tools,
practices, and information to apply and integrate the results of social and
behavioral research into programs that—
(A)design, develop,
and demonstrate technologies that supply energy and improve energy efficiency;
and
(B)provide
information on energy consumption to consumers; and
(5)assist the
Secretary in awarding research grants under section 3.
2.
(a)The Director, in
consultation with the Advisory Committee established under section 4, shall
develop a research plan and, not later than 9 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, transmit such plan to the Congress. Prior to finalizing
the research plan, the Director shall publish a draft of the proposed research
plan in the Federal Register with a public comment period of not less than 30
days.
(b)Contents of
research planThe research plan shall—
(1)set forth
priorities and a schedule for carrying out the research program under section 1
and the research grant program under section 3;
(2)address social and
behavioral factors that influence—
(A)patterns of energy
consumption by individuals, households, and businesses; and
(B)decisions to
implement energy conservation measures,
including
the factors that influence decisions to adopt energy efficient technologies and
practices;(3)include a
description of the mechanisms the Department will use to integrate the findings
of social and behavioral research into other relevant Department programs;
and
(4)include responses
to comments received during the public comment period.
(c)The Director shall review the research plan every 5
years and revise the plan as appropriate.
3.Social and
Behavioral Research Grants
(a)The Secretary shall
provide grants to support social and behavioral research consistent with the
research plan developed under section 2.
(b)Grant
awards under this section may be for a period up to 3 years. The Secretary
shall award grants through a competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed process.
(c)Authorization of
appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010
through 2015.
4.Social and
behavioral research Advisory Committee
(a)The
Secretary shall establish an Advisory Committee composed of experts in relevant
fields—
(1)to advise the
Secretary and the Director on priority areas for research;
(2)to assist the
Director in the development of the research plan under section 2; and
(3)to provide other
assistance and advice as requested by the Secretary or the Director.
(b)Federal advisory
committee actSection 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Committee established under
subsection (a) until 3 years after the date the Advisory Committee is
established.