1.This Act may be cited as the
10 Million Solar Roofs and 10 Million
Gallons of Solar Water Heating Act of 2010
.
2.Congress finds that—
(1)(A)there is huge potential for increasing the
quantity of electricity produced in the United States from distributed solar
photovoltaics and solar water heating systems;
(B)the use of solar photovoltaics on the roofs
of 10 percent of existing buildings could meet 70 percent of peak electric
demand; and
(C)a
key barrier to increased deployment of solar photovoltaic and hot water heating
systems is the upfront cost of capital, even though over time the systems are
cost-effective;
(2)investment in solar photovoltaics
technology will create economies of scale that will allow the technology to
deliver electricity at prices that are competitive with electricity from fossil
fuels;
(3)electricity produced from distributed solar
photovoltaics helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, does not emit harmful
air pollutants, such as mercury, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, uses
existing rooftop space, and does not require additional land for generation,
thereby conserving natural resources and wildlife habitat;
(4)electricity produced from distributed solar
photovoltaics enhances national energy security and helps to meet peak power
demand without requiring the construction and siting of new transmission
infrastructure;
(5)investments in renewable energy stimulate
the development of green jobs in the United States that provide substantial
economic benefits;
(6)(A)rebate programs in several States have been
successful in increasing the quantity of solar energy from distributed solar
photovoltaics and solar water heating systems;
(B)the State of California leads the United
States in installed solar photovoltaic systems and has used rebate programs to
promote the installation of more than 500 megawatts of grid-connected solar
photovoltaics, with 226 megawatts installed during the 3-year period ending on
the date of enactment of this Act due to the Solar Initiative of the
State;
(C)the State of New Jersey is second in the
United States in installed solar photovoltaic systems and has used incentive
programs to achieve 90 megawatts of installed solar capacity;
(D)the State of Hawaii leads the United States
in solar water heating systems installed, and will require all new homes to
have solar water heating systems starting in 2010, which is projected to save
the average household $600 annually and reduce the oil consumption of the State
by 30,000 barrels in 2010 alone; and
(E)the State of Florida has used consumer and
business rebate programs for solar photovoltaic and solar water heating systems
and is second in the United States in installed solar hot water systems;
(7)despite inventing solar technology, the
United States has fallen behind nations with less solar resources because those
nations have set in place policies to promote solar energy, and the United
States now ranks fourth in installed solar behind Germany, Spain, and
Japan;
(8)there are more than 1,500,000 solar water
heating systems in the United States that rely on a free fuel source, the sun,
to provide hot water, and there is enormous potential for additional solar hot
water systems to displace fossil fuel use in water heating; and
(9)homes in the United States spend more than
$13,000,000,000 on energy for water heating, which is equivalent to 11.4
barrels of oil per home and accounts for approximately 30 percent of the carbon
dioxide emissions of an average home, but solar water heating systems can
reduce the cost of water heating and reduce residential carbon dioxide
emissions.
3.Rebates for purchase and installation of
photovoltaic systems and solar water heating systems
(a)The Secretary of Energy (referred to in
this Act as the Secretary) shall establish a program under which
the Secretary shall provide rebates to eligible individuals or entities for the
purchase and installation of solar photovoltaic systems and solar water heating
systems for residential and commercial properties in order to install, over the
10-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, at least—
(1)an additional 10,000,000 solar systems in
the United States (as compared to the number of solar systems installed in the
United States as of the date of enactment of this Act) with a cumulative
capacity of at least 30,000 megawatts; and
(2)an additional 200,000 solar water heating
systems in the United States (as compared to the number of solar water heating
systems installed in the United States as of the date of enactment of this Act)
with a cumulative capacity of 10,000,000 gallons.
(b)
(1)To be eligible for a rebate under this
section—
(A)the recipient of the rebate shall be a
homeowner, business, nonprofit entity, or State or local government that
purchased and installed a solar photovoltaic system or solar water heating
system for a property located in the United States; and
(B)the total capacity of the solar
photovoltaic system for the property shall not exceed 2 megawatts.
(2)The Secretary shall issue guidance to
participating solar installers and contractors to ensure that information is
made available to rebate recipients on all available Federal, State, local, and
other incentives for energy efficiency improvements that can be made in the
buildings on the property at which the solar photovoltaic or hot water heating
system is being installed.
(3)After public review
and comment, the Secretary may identify other individuals or entities located
in the United States that qualify for a rebate under this section.
(c)
(1)Solar photovoltaic systems
(A)Subject to subparagraph (B) and paragraph
(3), the amount of a rebate provided to an eligible individual or entity for
the purchase and installation of a solar photovoltaic system for a property
under this section shall be a rebate per watt of installed capacity not to
exceed the following amounts:
Calendar
yearDollar per watt
20101.75
20111.75
20121.5
20131.25
20141
20151
20160.75
20170.75
20180.5
20190.5.
(B)The Secretary may adjust the maximum
amounts described in subparagraph (A)—
(i)to ensure deployment consistent with the
purposes of this Act; and
(ii)to respond to projected and actual market
conditions.
(2)Solar water heating systems
(A)Subject to subparagraph (B) and paragraph
(3), the amount of a rebate provided to an eligible individual or entity for
the purchase and installation of a solar water heating system under this
section shall be not more than $1 for each watt thermal-equivalent of installed
capacity during calendar year 2010.
(B)The Secretary shall ensure that the maximum
amount described in subparagraph (A) decreases over time at a rate that is
similar to the schedule described in paragraph (1)(A), and consistent with
projected and actual market conditions and the purposes of this Act, for each
watt thermal-equivalent of installed capacity.
(3)The total amount of a
rebate provided to an eligible individual or entity for the purchase and
installation of a solar photovoltaic system or solar water heating system for a
property under this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the remaining cost
to the purchaser for the purchase and installation of the system (after
consideration of all applicable Federal, State, and local incentives and tax
credits).
(d)Relationship to other lawThe authority provided under this section
shall be in addition to any other authority under which credits or other types
of financial assistance are provided for installation of a solar photovoltaic
or solar water heating system for a property.
(e)Authorization of
appropriationsThere are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this
section.