Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2015

Summary: Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2015  Directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish and carry out a smart energy and water efficiency management pilot program to award grants to three to five eligible entities (authorities that provide water, wastewater, or water reuse services) to demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-based solutions that will: (1) increase and improve the energy efficiency of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems to help communities make significant progress in conserving water, saving energy, and reducing costs; (2) support the implementation of innovative processes and the installation of advanced automated systems that provide real-time data on energy and water; and (3) improve energy and water conservation, water quality, and predictive maintenance of energy and water systems, through the use of Internet-connected technologies, including sensors, intelligent gateways, and security embedded in hardware. Directs DOE, in selecting grant recipients, to consider:   energy and cost savings anticipated to result from the project;   the innovative nature, commercial viability, and reliability of the technology to be used;   the degree to which the project integrates next-generation sensors, software, hardware, analytics, and management tools;  the anticipated cost-effectiveness of the pilot project in terms of energy efficiency savings, water savings or reuse, and infrastructure costs averted;   whether the technology can be deployed in a variety of geographic regions and the degree to which the technology can be implemented on a smaller or larger scale, including whether the technology can be implemented by each type of eligible entity; whether the technology has been successfully deployed elsewhere;  whether the technology is sourced from a manufacturer based in the United States; and   whether the project will be completed in five years or less.  Requires DOE to evaluate, annually, each project for which a grant is provided and make best practices identified available to the public. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Smart Energy and Water Efficiency 
Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. SMART ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a utility;
                    (B) a municipality;
                    (C) a water district; and
                    (D) any other authority that provides water, 
                wastewater, or water reuse services.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
            (3) Smart energy and water efficiency pilot program.--The 
        term ``smart energy and water efficiency pilot program'' or 
        ``pilot program'' means the pilot program established under 
        subsection (b).
    (b) Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish and carry 
        out a smart energy and water efficiency management pilot 
        program in accordance with this section.
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the smart energy and water 
        efficiency pilot program is to award grants to eligible 
        entities to demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-
        based solutions that will--
                    (A) increase and improve the energy efficiency of 
                water, wastewater, and water reuse systems to help 
                communities across the United States make significant 
                progress in conserving water, saving energy, and 
                reducing costs;
                    (B) support the implementation of innovative 
                processes and the installation of advanced automated 
                systems that provide real-time data on energy and 
                water; and
                    (C) improve energy and water conservation, water 
                quality, and predictive maintenance of energy and water 
                systems, through the use of Internet-connected 
                technologies, including sensors, intelligent gateways, 
                and security embedded in hardware.
            (3) Project selection.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall make 
                competitive, merit-reviewed grants under the pilot 
                program to not less than 3, but not more than 5, 
                eligible entities.
                    (B) Selection criteria.--In selecting an eligible 
                entity to receive a grant under the pilot program, the 
                Secretary shall consider--
                            (i) energy and cost savings anticipated to 
                        result from the project;
                            (ii) the innovative nature, commercial 
                        viability, and reliability of the technology to 
                        be used;
                            (iii) the degree to which the project 
                        integrates next-generation sensors, software, 
                        hardware, analytics, and management tools;
                            (iv) the anticipated cost-effectiveness of 
                        the pilot project in terms of energy efficiency 
                        savings, water savings or reuse, and 
                        infrastructure costs averted;
                            (v) whether the technology can be deployed 
                        in a variety of geographic regions and the 
                        degree to which the technology can be 
                        implemented on a smaller or larger scale, 
                        including whether the technology can be 
                        implemented by each type of eligible entity;
                            (vi) whether the technology has been 
                        successfully deployed elsewhere;
                            (vii) whether the technology is sourced 
                        from a manufacturer based in the United States; 
                        and
                            (viii) whether the project will be 
                        completed in 5 years or less.
                    (C) Applications.--
                            (i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), an 
                        eligible entity seeking a grant under the pilot 
                        program shall submit to the Secretary an 
                        application at such time, in such manner, and 
                        containing such information as the Secretary 
                        determines to be necessary.
                            (ii) Contents.--An application under clause 
                        (i) shall, at a minimum, include--
                                    (I) a description of the project;
                                    (II) a description of the 
                                technology to be used in the project;
                                    (III) the anticipated results, 
                                including energy and water savings, of 
                                the project;
                                    (IV) a comprehensive budget for the 
                                project;
                                    (V) the names of the project lead 
                                organization and any partners;
                                    (VI) the number of users to be 
                                served by the project; and
                                    (VII) any other information that 
                                the Secretary determines to be 
                                necessary to complete the review and 
                                selection of a grant recipient.
            (4) Administration.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 300 days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
                select grant recipients under this section.
                    (B) Evaluations.--The Secretary shall annually 
                carry out an evaluation of each project for which a 
                grant is provided under this section that--
                            (i) evaluates the progress and impact of 
                        the project; and
                            (ii) assesses the degree to which the 
                        project is meeting the goals of the pilot 
                        program.
                    (C) Technical and policy assistance.--On the 
                request of a grant recipient, the Secretary shall 
                provide technical and policy assistance to the grant 
                recipient to carry out the project.
                    (D) Best practices.--The Secretary shall make 
                available to the public--
                            (i) a copy of each evaluation carried out 
                        under subparagraph (B); and
                            (ii) a description of any best practices 
                        identified by the Secretary as a result of 
                        those evaluations.
                    (E) Report to congress.--The Secretary shall submit 
                to Congress a report containing the results of each 
                evaluation carried out under subparagraph (B).
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall use not less than 
        $7,500,000 of amounts made available to the Secretary to carry 
        out this section.
            (2) Prioritization.--In funding activities under this 
        section, the Secretary shall prioritize funding in the 
        following manner:
                    (A) The Secretary shall first use any unobligated 
                amounts made available to the Secretary to carry out 
                the activities of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
                Energy Office.
                    (B) After any amounts described in subparagraph (A) 
                have been used, the Secretary shall then use any 
                unobligated amounts (other than those described in 
                subparagraph (A)) made available to the Secretary.