I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4447 

To establish an energy storage and microgrid grant and technical assistance 

program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 

Mr. O’HALLERAN (for himself, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. LAMB, and Mr. NORMAN) 

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 establish an energy storage and microgrid grant and 

technical assistance program. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Expanding Access to 

5 Sustainable Energy Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4447 IH

1 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti2 ty’’ means— 

3 (A) a rural electric cooperative; or 

4 (B) a nonprofit organization working with 

5 at least 6 or more rural electric cooperatives. 

6 (2) ENERGY STORAGE.—The term ‘‘energy 

7 storage’’ means the use of a system, equipment, fa8 cility, or technology that— 

9 (A) is capable of absorbing energy, storing 

10 that energy for a period of time, and dis11 patching the stored energy; and 

12 (B)(i) uses a mechanical, electrochemical, 

13 or thermal process to store energy that— 

14 (I) was generated at an earlier time 

15 for use at a later time; or 

16 (II) was generated from a mechanical 

17 process, and would otherwise be wasted, 

18 for delivery at a later time; or 

19 (ii) stores thermal energy for direct use for 

20 heating or cooling at a later time in a manner 

21 that avoids the need to use electricity at that 

22 later time, including the storage and use offered 

23 by a grid-enabled water heater. 

24 (3) ISLAND.—The term ‘‘island’’, with respect 

25 to a distributed generator or energy storage equipVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Sep 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4447.IH H4447

pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4447 IH

1 ment, means that the generator or equipment con2 tinues to power a location in the absence of electric 

3 power from a primary source. 

4 (4) MICROGRID.—The term ‘‘microgrid’’ means 

5 an interconnected system of loads and distributed 

6 energy resources, including generators and energy 

7 storage devices, within clearly defined electrical 

8 boundaries that— 

9 (A) acts as a single controllable entity with 

10 respect to the grid; and 

11 (B) can connect and disconnect from the 

12 grid to operate in both grid-connected mode 

13 and island mode. 

14 (5) RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE.—The term 

15 ‘‘renewable energy source’’ has the meaning given 

16 the term in section 609(a) of the Public Utility Reg17 ulatory Policies Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 918c(a)). 

18 (6) RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.—The term 

19 ‘‘rural electric cooperative’’ means an electric coop20 erative (as defined in section 3 of the Federal Power 

21 Act (16 U.S.C. 796)) that sells electric energy to 

22 persons in rural areas. 

23 (7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

24 the Secretary of Energy. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4447 IH

1 SEC. 3. ENERGY STORAGE AND MICROGRID ASSISTANCE 

2 PROGRAM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

4 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish 

5 a program under which the Secretary shall— 

6 (1) provide grants to eligible entities under sub7 section (c); 

8 (2) provide technical assistance to eligible enti9 ties under subsection (d); and 

10 (3) disseminate information to eligible entities 

11 on— 

12 (A) the activities described in subsections 

13 (c)(1) and (d); and 

14 (B) potential and existing energy storage 

15 and microgrid projects. 

16 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—The Secretary may 

17 enter into a cooperative agreement with an eligible entity 

18 to carry out subsection (a). 

19 (c) GRANTS.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 

21 grants to eligible entities for identifying, evaluating, 

22 designing, and demonstrating energy storage and 

23 microgrid projects that utilize energy from renewable 

24 energy sources. 

25 (2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a 

26 grant under paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 4447 IH

1 submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 

2 in such manner, and containing such information as 

3 the Secretary may require. 

4 (3) USE OF GRANT.—An eligible entity that re5 ceives a grant under paragraph (1)— 

6 (A) shall use the grant— 

7 (i) to conduct feasibility studies to as8 sess the potential for implementation or 

9 improvement of energy storage or 

10 microgrid projects; 

11 (ii) to analyze and implement strate12 gies to overcome barriers to energy storage 

13 or microgrid project implementation, in14 cluding financial, contracting, siting, and 

15 permitting barriers; 

16 (iii) to conduct detailed engineering of 

17 energy storage or microgrid projects; 

18 (iv) to perform a cost-benefit analysis 

19 with respect to an energy storage or 

20 microgrid project; 

21 (v) to plan for both the short- and 

22 long-term inclusion of energy storage or 

23 microgrid projects into the future develop24 ment plans of the eligible entity; or 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 4447 IH

1 (vi) to purchase and install necessary 

2 equipment, materials, and supplies for 

3 demonstration of emerging technologies; 

4 and 

5 (B) may use the grant to obtain technical 

6 assistance from experts in carrying out the ac7 tivities described in this Act. 

8 (4) CONDITION.—As a condition of receiving a 

9 grant under paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall— 

10 (A) implement a public awareness cam11 paign about the project implemented under the 

12 grant in the community in which the eligible en13 tity is located; 

14 (B) submit to the Secretary, and make 

15 available to the public, a report that de16 scribes— 

17 (i) any energy cost savings and envi18 ronmental benefits achieved under the 

19 project; and 

20 (ii) the results of the project, includ21 ing quantitative assessments to the extent 

22 practicable, associated with each activity 

23 described in paragraph (3)(A); and 

24 (C) create and disseminate useful or inno25 vative tools and resources that will benefit other 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 4447 IH

1 rural electric cooperatives, which may include 

2 cost calculators, guidebooks, handbooks, tem3 plates and training courses. 

4 (5) COST-SHARE.—Activities under this sub5 section shall be subject to the cost-sharing require6 ments of section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 

7 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352). 

8 (d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 

10 out subsection (a)(2) by providing eligible entities 

11 with technical assistance relating to— 

12 (A) identifying opportunities for energy 

13 storage and microgrid projects; 

14 (B) understanding the technical and eco15 nomic characteristics of energy storage or 

16 microgrid projects; 

17 (C) understanding financing alternatives; 

18 (D) permitting and siting issues; 

19 (E) obtaining case studies of similar and 

20 successful energy storage or microgrid projects; 

21 (F) reviewing and obtaining computer soft22 ware for assessment, design, and operation and 

23 maintenance of energy storage or microgrid sys24 tems; and 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 4447 IH

1 (G) understanding and utilizing the reli2 ability and resiliency benefits of energy storage 

3 and microgrid projects. 

4 (2) EXTERNAL CONTRACTS.—In carrying out 

5 subsection (a)(2), the Secretary may enter into con6 tracts with third-party experts, including engineer7 ing, finance, and insurance experts, to provide tech8 nical assistance to eligible entities relating to the ac9 tivities described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) 

10 of paragraph (1), or other relevant activities, as de11 termined by the Secretary. 

12 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro14 priated to carry out this Act $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 

15 years 2020 through 2025. 

16 (b) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more than 5 per17 cent of the amount appropriated under subsection (a) for 

18 each fiscal year shall be used for administrative expenses. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS