§ 8258a — Demonstration Of New Technology

(a) Not later than January 1, 1994, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Administrator of General Services, shall establish a demonstration program to install, in federally owned facilities or federally assisted housing, energy conservation measures for which the Secretary has determined that such installation would accelerate commercial viability. In those cases where technologies are determined to be equivalent, priority shall be given to those technologies that have received or are receiving Federal financial assistance. (b) In addition to the determination under subsection (a), the Secretary shall select, in cooperation with the Administrator of General Services, proposals to be funded under this section on the basis of— (1) cost-effectiveness; (2) technical feasibility and system reliability in a working environment; (3) lack of market penetration in the Federal sector; (4) the potential needs of the proposing Federal agency for the technology, projected over 5 to 10 years; (5) the potential Federal sector market, projected over 5 to 10 years; (6) energy efficiency; and (7) other environmental benefits, including the projected reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and indoor air pollution. (c) Federal agencies may submit to the Secretary, for each fiscal year, proposals for projects to be funded by the Secretary under this section. Each such proposal shall include— (1) a description of the proposed project emphasizing the innovative use of technology in the Federal sector; (2) a description of the technical reliability and cost-effectiveness data expected to be acquired; (3) an identification of the potential needs of the Federal agency for the technology; (4) a commitment to adopt the technology, if the project establishes its technical reliability and life cycle cost-effectiveness, to supply at least 10 percent of the Federal agency’s potential needs identified under paragraph (3); (5) schedules and milestones for installing additional units; and (6) a technology transfer plan to publicize the results of the project. (d) The Secretary may only select a project for funding under this section which is proposed to be carried out in a building under the jurisdiction of the General Services Administration if the project will be carried out by the Administrator of General Services. If such project involves a total expenditure in excess of $1,600,000, no appropriation shall be made for such project unless such project has been approved by a resolution adopted by the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate. (e) The Secretary shall conduct a study to evaluate the potential use of the purchasing power of the Federal Government to promote the development and commercialization of energy efficient products. The study shall identify products for which there is a high potential for Federal purchasing power to substantially promote their development and commercialization, and shall include a plan to develop such potential. The study shall be conducted in consultation with utilities, manufacturers, and appropriate nonprofit organizations concerned with energy efficiency. The Secretary shall report to the Congress on the results of the study not later than two years after October 24, 1992. (f) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995.