§ 19301 — National Clean Energy Incubator Program

(a) In this section, the term “clean energy incubator”— (1) means any entity that is designed to accelerate the commercial application of clean energy technologies by providing— (A) physical workspace, labs, and prototyping facilities to support clean energy startups or established clean energy companies; or (B) companies developing such technologies with support, resources, and services, including— (i) access to business education and counseling; (ii) mentorship opportunities; and (iii) other services rendered for the purpose of aiding the development and commercial application of a clean energy technology; and (2) may include a program within or established by a National Laboratory, an institution of higher education or a State, territorial, local, or tribal government. (b) Not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Chief Commercialization Officer established in section 16391(a) of this title, shall establish a Clean Energy Incubator Program (herein referred to as the “program”) to competitively award grants to clean energy incubators. (c) In awarding grants to clean energy incubators under subsection (b), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, prioritize funding clean energy incubators that— (1) partner with entities that carry out activities relevant to the activities of such incubator and that operate at the local, State, and regional levels; (2) support the commercial application activities of startup companies focused on physical hardware, computational, or integrated hardware and software technologies; (3) are located in geographically diverse regions of the United States, such as the Great Lakes region; (4) are located in, or partner with entities located in, economically-distressed areas; (5) support the development of entities focused on expanding clean energy tools and technologies to rural, Tribal, and low-income communities; (6) support the commercial application of technologies being developed by clean energy entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds; and (7) have a plan for sustaining activities of the incubator after grant funds received under this program have been expended. (d) The Secretary shall not award more than $4,000,000 to one or more incubators in one given State, per fiscal year. (e) Each grant under subsection (b) shall be for a period of no longer than 5 years, subject to the availability of appropriations. (f) An entity receiving a grant under this section may use grant amounts for operating expenses. (g) An award made to a clean energy incubator under this section may be renewed for a period of not more than 3 years, subject to merit review. (h) In accordance with section 16391a of this title, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation of the program established under this section that includes analyses of the performance of the clean energy incubators. (i) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.