§ 12005 — Demonstration And Commercial Application Projects

(a) The purpose of this section is to direct the Secretary to further the commercialization of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies through a five-year program. (A) The Secretary shall solicit proposals for demonstration and commercial application projects for renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies pursuant to subsection (c). Such projects may include projects for— (i) the production and sale of electricity, thermal energy, or other forms of energy using a renewable energy technology; (ii) increasing the efficiency of energy use; and (iii) improvements in, or expansion of, facilities for the manufacture of renewable energy or energy efficiency technologies. (B) Each project selected under this section shall include at least one for-profit business. Activities supported under this section shall be performed in the United States. Each project under this section shall require the manufacture and reproduction substantially within the United States for commercial sale of any invention or product that may result from the project. (A) In supporting projects selected under subsection (c), the Secretary may choose from among the forms of agreements described in section 13541 of this title. (B) In supporting projects selected under subsection (c), the Secretary may also enter into agreements with private lenders to pay a portion of the interest on loans made for such projects. (3) Cost sharing for projects under this section shall be conducted according to the procedures described in section 13542(b) and (c) of this title. (A) The Secretary shall establish an Advisory Committee on Demonstration and Commercial Application of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technologies (in this chapter referred to as the “Advisory Committee”) to advise the Secretary on the development of the solicitation and evaluation criteria for projects under this section, and on otherwise carrying out his responsibilities under this section. The Secretary shall appoint members to the Advisory Committee, including at least one member representing— (i) the Secretary of Commerce; (ii) the National Laboratories of the Department of Energy; (iii) the Solar Energy Research Institute; (iv) the Electric Power Research Institute; (v) the Gas Research Institute; (vi) the National Institute of Building Sciences; (vii) the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (viii) associations of firms in the major renewable energy manufacturing industries; and (ix) associations of firms in the major energy efficiency manufacturing industries. (B) Not later than 18 months after October 24, 1992, the Advisory Committee shall provide the Secretary with a report assessing the implementation of the program under this section, including specific recommendations for improvements or changes to the program and solicitation process. The Secretary shall transmit such report and, if any, the Secretary’s recommendations to the Congress. (A) Not later than 9 months after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for projects under this section. The Secretary may make additional solicitations for proposals if the Secretary determines that such solicitations are necessary to carry out this section. (B) A solicitation for proposals under this paragraph shall establish a closing date for receipt of proposals. The Secretary may, if necessary, extend the closing date for receipt of proposals for a period not to exceed 90 days. (C) Each solicitation under this paragraph shall include a description of the criteria, developed by the Secretary, according to which proposals will be evaluated. In developing such criteria, the Secretary shall consider— (i) the need for Federal involvement to commercialize the technology or speed commercialization of the technology; (ii) the potential for the technology to have significant market penetration; (iii) the potential energy efficiency gains or energy supply contributions of the technology; (iv) potential environmental improvements associated with the technology; (v) the export potential of the technology; (vi) the likelihood that the proposal is technically sufficient to achieve the objective of the solicitation; (vii) the degree to which non-Federal financial participation is involved in the proposal; (viii) the business and financial history of the proposer or proposers; and (ix) any other factor the Secretary considers appropriate. (2) Projects under this section may include the following technologies: (A) Conversion of cellulosic biomass to liquid fuels. (B) Ethanol and ethanol byproduct processes. (C) Direct combustion or gasification of biomass. (D) Biofuels energy systems. (E) Photovoltaics, including utility scale and remote applications. (F) Solar thermal, including solar water heating. (G) Wind energy. (H) High temperature and low temperature geothermal energy. (I) Fuel cells, including transportation and stationary applications. (J) Nondefense high-temperature superconducting electricity technology. (K) Source reduction technology. (L) Factory-made housing. (M) Advanced district cooling. (3) The Secretary shall, within 120 days after the closing date established under paragraph (1)(B), select proposals to receive financial assistance under this section. In selecting proposals under this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (A) consider each proposal’s ability to meet the criteria developed pursuant to paragraph (1)(C); and (B) attempt to achieve technological and geographic diversity. (d) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.