[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7237 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7237
To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an Office of Advanced
Clean Energy Technologies and manage a network of Regional Energy
Innovation and Development Institutes to advance regional
decarbonization strategies.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 18, 2020
Ms. Bonamici introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an Office of Advanced
Clean Energy Technologies and manage a network of Regional Energy
Innovation and Development Institutes to advance regional
decarbonization strategies.
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 ``Regional Clean Energy Innovation
Act''.
SEC. 2. OFFICE OF ADVANCED CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish an
Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies within the Department to
manage a network of Regional Energy Innovation and Development
Institutes (in this Act, referred to as ``REIDIs'') that accelerate
clean energy innovation in the post-research stage to help projects
overcome obstacles to deployment and commercialization, connect
Federally funded research and development with State and regional
initiatives, and advance decarbonization strategies.
(b) Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies.--The purpose of
the Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies shall be to--
(1) support the creation and development of REIDIs and
covered entities by providing incentives to States, regions,
academic institutions, Tribes, local governments, and
businesses to organize and address a specific targeted clean
energy technology and market intersection;
(2) leverage existing state, local, regional, Tribal, and
national initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help
facilitate an effective transition to more clean energy
technologies, and improve resilience and environmental
outcomes, especially for rural and low-income households,
communities of color, and Tribal communities;
(3) analyze and establish region-specific pathways to
decarbonization and net-zero emissions and use the REIDIs to
advance these goals;
(4) facilitate development of clean energy technologies
from laboratory research stage to market by promoting
collaboration and resource sharing among REIDIs;
(5) provide technical assistance to the REIDIs and verify
quality of projects of REIDIs;
(6) assist States, regions, Tribes, local governments,
academic institutions, and businesses in applying for
designation as a REIDI;
(7) share best practices across the REIDIs network;
(8) support REIDIs in the navigation of regulatory
processes;
(9) disseminate Federal funding to REIDIs and provide
support for operating capabilities;
(10) support REIDIs that address environmental justice and
energy justices issues in geographically diverse regions,
including efforts to improve public health, resilience, and
environmental outcomes for rural and low-income households,
communities of color, Tribal communities, and communities that
are disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of climate
change and greenhouse gas emissions; and
(11) work with other Federal offices and programs to
complement clean energy innovation projects and avoid
duplication of efforts.
(c) Director.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Advanced
Clean Energy Technologies shall be appointed by the President,
with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall report to
the Secretary.
(2) Background of director.--The Director shall have
professional background and experience on clean energy
challenges specific to regional energy resources, market needs,
and innovation capabilities and have such qualifications to
advise the Secretary on, and manage research programs
addressing barriers to the development of clean energy
technologies.
(3) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the Director
shall include--
(A) assessing existing regional capabilities and
needs for clean energy technologies;
(B) establishing goals for the REIDIs and
publicizing the goals to relevant local and State
governments, Tribes, academic institutions, and the
public and private sectors;
(C) identifying cost-sharing arrangements for
REIDIs with State, local, and regional partners;
(D) reviewing and approving the designation of
covered entities as REIDIs and initiatives within the
Office, considering an appropriate balance of
geographical interests, existing innovation ecosystems,
national laboratories, and resources, regional
variations in and resilience of energy supply and
demand, and capabilities to support job creation;
(E) developing funding criteria for REIDIs and
assessing the success of the REIDIs through the
establishment of technical milestones, including
terminating the designation of REIDIs that are not
achieving the goals of the Office;
(F) establishing and maintaining a staff with
sufficient qualifications and expertise to enable the
Office to carry out its responsibilities in conjunction
with other operations of the Department; and
(G) coordinating with other programs and
laboratories within the Department and other Federal
research agencies to avoid duplication and working
together to address dispersed gaps in energy innovation
and deployment.
(d) REIDIs.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall establish a program to
designate, fund, and support REIDIs in accordance with this
subsection.
(2) Purpose.--The purpose of a REIDIs shall be to--
(A) increase and leverage connectivity of existing
clean energy research capabilities and needs at the
regional level to advance mid-stage and late-stage
innovation;
(B) support clean energy technology development,
with a focus on regional resources to advance early
adoption market connections;
(C) connect regional market needs and innovators to
address regional variation in energy distribution, use,
risks, and capabilities;
(D) support access to technical resources,
modeling, and test beds through the Office of Advanced
Clean Energy Technologies and Department National
Laboratories;
(E) create a regional innovation ecosystem through
mentorship, business development, education, and
research and development investments;
(F) identify regulatory structures that create
obstacles for market deployment of clean energy
technologies; and
(G) design and implement initiatives to stimulate
market demand for clean energy technologies that will
substantially contribute to regional net-zero pathways.
(3) Funding.--The Director shall require, as a condition of
designation of a REIDI and of funding under this subsection,
that each REIDI shall be funded such that not less than 50
percent of Funding shall come from sources other than the
Federal government.
(4) Applications.--
(A) In general.--To apply for designation as a
REIDI, a local, State, or Tribal government in
coordination with regional public and private partners
shall submit an application to the Secretary containing
a description and plan for the activities to be carried
out by the REIDI with Federal funds and opportunities
for regional cost-sharing. Such application shall
include a description--
(i) the local or regional partnership that
will be supported by the REIDI, including the
lead partners;
(ii) the clean energy sectors that will be
served by the REIDI, and a description of how
such sectors were identified in relation to
regional market needs, and how the activities
of the REIDI will align with State, local,
regional, and Tribal policies and substantially
contribute to regional net-zero pathways;
(iii) the potential of the planned REIDI
activities to achieve significant reductions in
carbon emissions at a declining unit cost over
time and increase market competitiveness of the
clean energy technologies;
(iv) how the partners in the REIDI plan to
work to support clean energy projects at the
post-research stage to help reach proof of
concept, pilot testing, demonstration, and
commercial readiness to address market need in
deployment of clean energy technologies;
(v) demonstrated relationships between
research, job creation, and technology
deployment in the clean energy industry;
(vi) coordination with nongovernmental
entities for demonstration of technologies and
research applications;
(vii) mechanisms for commercial
demonstration and application of successful
energy technology development projects,
including existing partnerships with commercial
entities;
(viii) the services that will be supported
through Federal funds and funding sources for
equal regional cost sharing;
(ix) levels of performance with respect to
the purposes described in section 2(a); and
(x) such other subjects as the Secretary
may require.
(B) Review.--The Secretary shall review
applications under this paragraph in consultation with
the Director of the Office of Advanced Clean Energy
Technologies.
(e) Reports and Evaluation.--
(1) Annual report.--As part of the annual budget request
submitted for each fiscal year, the Director shall provide to
the relevant authorizing and appropriations committees of
Congress a report describing projects supported by each REIDI
during the previous fiscal year.
(2) Strategic plan.--Not later than one year after
enactment, the Director shall provide to the relevant
authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress a roadmap
describing the strategic plan that the Office will use to guide
the choices of REIDI investments for the following five fiscal
years including how they will contribute to regional net-zero
pathways. A revised plan shall be submitted at least once every
5 years thereafter. Commercial and financial information
obtained and considered privileged or confidential and not
subject to disclosure, including:
(A) Plans for commercialization of technologies
developed by the REIDI, business plans, technology-to-
market plans, market studies, and cost and performance
models.
(B) Investments provided to a REIDI from third
parties.
(C) Additional financial support that the partner
plans to or has invested into the technology developed
under the REIDI or is seeking from third parties.
(D) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new
products or services resulting from research conducted
by the REIDI.
(f) Authorizations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $150,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2021
through 2025, which shall include--
(1) $125,000,000 for grants to REIDIs per year; and
(2) $25,000,000 for administration of the Office under this
section.
(g) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Energy.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies.
(3) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of
Advanced Clean Energy Technologies established under subsection
(b).
(4) REIDIs.--The term ``Regional Energy Innovation and
Development Institute'' or ``REIDI'' means a partnership
between local, State, regional, Tribal governments, academic
institutions, businesses, DOE national laboratories, and other
clean energy entities that the Director designates under
section 2(d) to advance the development of early-stage
innovations and support after proof concept to help clean
energy innovations reach viability for commercial demonstration
and deployment.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
<all>
Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act
#7237 | HR Congress #116
Policy Area: Energy
Subjects: Air qualityAlternative and renewable resourcesClimate change and greenhouse gasesCongressional oversightEconomic developmentEnergy efficiency and conservationEnergy researchGovernment studies and investigationsPerformance measurementResearch administration and fundingResearch and developmentState and local government operationsTechnology transfer and commercialization
Last Action: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (6/18/2020)
Bill Text Source: Congress.gov
Summary and Impacts
Original Text