42 U.S.C. § 17172 — Solar energy curriculum development

Page 8994 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 17171 Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 94–163, Dec. 22, 1975, 89 Stat. 871. Part D of title III of the Act is classified generally to part B (§ 6321 et seq.) of subchapter III of chapter 77 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6201 of this title and Tables. The Energy Conservation and Production Act, re- ferred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 94–385, Aug. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1125. Part A of title IV of the Act is classified generally to part A (§ 6861 et seq.) of subchapter III of chapter 81 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6801 of this title and Tables. AMENDMENTS 2009—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–5 struck out ‘‘; provided that 49 percent of the appropriated funds shall be distributed using the definition of eligible unit of local government-alternative 1 in section 17151(3)(A) of this title and 49 percent of the appropriated funds shall be distributed using the definition of eligible unit of local government-alternative 2 in section 17151(3)(B) of this title’’ after ‘‘2012’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress. SUBCHAPTER V—ACCELERATED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PART A—SOLAR ENERGY § 17171. Thermal energy storage research and de- velopment program (a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a program of re- search and development to provide lower cost and more viable thermal energy storage tech- nologies to enable the shifting of electric power loads on demand and extend the operating time of concentrating solar power electric generating plants. (b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. (Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 602, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1674.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress. SHORT TITLE This part known as the ‘‘Solar Energy Research and Advancement Act of 2007’’, see Short Title note set out under section 17001 of this title. § 17172. Solar energy curriculum development and certification grants (a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish in the Office of Solar Energy Technologies a competitive grant program to create and strengthen solar industry workforce training and internship programs in installation, operation, and maintenance of solar energy products. The goal of this program is to ensure a supply of well-trained individuals to support the expansion of the solar energy in- dustry. (b) Authorized activities Grant funds may be used to support the fol- lowing activities: (1) Creation and development of a solar en- ergy curriculum appropriate for the local edu- cational, entrepreneurial, and environmental conditions, including curriculum for commu- nity colleges. (2) Support of certification programs for in- dividual solar energy system installers, in- structors, and training programs. (3) Internship programs that provide hands- on participation by students in commercial applications. (4) Activities required to obtain certification of training programs and facilities by an in- dustry-accepted quality-control certification program. (5) Incorporation of solar-specific learning modules into traditional occupational training and internship programs for construction-re- lated trades. (6) The purchase of equipment necessary to carry out activities under this section. (7) Support of programs that provide guid- ance and updates to solar energy curriculum instructors. (c) Administration of grants Grants may be awarded under this section for up to 3 years. The Secretary shall award grants to ensure sufficient geographic distribution of training programs nationally. Grants shall only be awarded for programs certified by an indus- try-accepted quality-control certification insti- tution, or for new and growing programs with a credible path to certification. Due consideration shall be given to women, underrepresented mi- norities, and persons with disabilities. (d) Report The Secretary shall make public, on the website of the Department or upon request, in- formation on the name and institution for all grants awarded under this section, including a brief description of the project as well as the grant award amount. (e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. (Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 604, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1675.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress. Page 8995 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 17191 § 17173. Daylighting systems and direct solar light pipe technology (a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a program of re- search and development to provide assistance in the demonstration and commercial application of direct solar renewable energy sources to pro- vide alternatives to traditional power genera- tion for lighting and illumination, including light pipe technology, and to promote greater energy conservation and improved efficiency. All direct solar renewable energy devices sup- ported under this program shall have the capa- bility to provide measurable data on the amount of kilowatt-hours saved over the traditionally powered light sources they have replaced. (b) Reporting The Secretary shall transmit to Congress an annual report assessing the measurable data de- rived from each project in the direct solar re- newable energy sources program and the energy savings resulting from its use. (c) Definitions For purposes of this section— (1) the term ‘‘direct solar renewable energy’’ means energy from a device that converts sun- light into useable light within a building, tun- nel, or other enclosed structure, replacing ar- tificial light generated by a light fixture and doing so without the conversion of the sun- light into another form of energy; and (2) the term ‘‘light pipe’’ means a device de- signed to transport visible solar radiation from its collection point to the interior of a building while excluding interior heat gain in the nonheating season. (d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $3,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. (Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 605, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1676.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress. §§ 17174, 17175. Repealed. Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, § 3006(g)(1), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2513 Section 17174, Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 606, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1676, related to solar air conditioning re- search and development program. Section 17175, Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 607, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1677, related to photovoltaic demonstra- tion program. PART B—GEOTHERMAL ENERGY § 17191. Definitions For purposes of this part: (1) Engineered When referring to enhanced geothermal sys- tems, the term ‘‘engineered’’ means designed to access subsurface heat, including stimula- tion and nonstimulation technologies to ad- dress one or more of the following issues: (A) Lack of effective permeability, poros- ity or open fracture connectivity within the heat reservoir. (B) Insufficient contained geofluid in the heat reservoir. (C) A low average geothermal gradient which necessitates deeper drilling, or the use of alternative heat sources or heat genera- tion processes. (2) Eligible entity The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means any of the following entities: (A) An institution of higher education. (B) A National laboratory. (C) A Federal research agency. (D) A State research agency. (E) A nonprofit research organization. (F) An industrial entity. (G) A consortium of 2 or more entities de- scribed in subparagraphs (A) through (F). (3) Enhanced geothermal systems The term ‘‘enhanced geothermal systems’’ means geothermal reservoir systems that are engineered, as opposed to occurring naturally. (4) Geofluid The term ‘‘geofluid’’ means any fluid used to extract thermal energy from the Earth which is transported to the surface for direct use or electric power generation, except that such term shall not include oil or natural gas. (5) Geopressured resources The term ‘‘geopressured resources’’ mean geothermal deposits found in sedimentary rocks under higher than normal pressure and saturated with gas or methane. (6) Geothermal The term ‘‘geothermal’’ refers to heat en- ergy stored in the Earth’s crust that can be accessed for direct use or electric power gen- eration. (7) Hydrothermal The term ‘‘hydrothermal’’ refers to natu- rally occurring subsurface reservoirs of hot water or steam. (8) Systems approach The term ‘‘systems approach’’ means an ap- proach to solving problems or designing sys- tems that attempts to optimize the perform- ance of the overall system, rather than a par- ticular component of the system. (Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 612, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1679; Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, § 3002(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2487.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2020—Par. (1). Pub. L. 116–260, § 3002(a), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) defined the term ‘‘engineered’’. Pars. (2) to (8). Pub. L. 116–260, § 3002(a)(2), (3), added par. (2) and redesignated former pars. (2) to (7) as (3) to (8), respectively.