I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2791 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renewable energy grant 

program for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 22, 2021 

Mr. LIEU (for himself, Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N, Ms. PLASKETT, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Mr. SOTO) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on 

Energy and Commerce, and 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 direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renewable energy grant program for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Renewable Energy for 

5 Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. RENEWABLE ENERGY GRANT PROGRAM. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

3 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agri4 culture shall establish a renewable energy program (in this 

5 section referred to as the ‘‘program’’) under which the 

6 Secretary may award grants to covered entities to facili7 tate projects, in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the 

8 United States, described in subsection (c). 

9 (b) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 

10 the program, a covered entity shall submit to the Sec11 retary an application at such time, in such form, and con12 taining such information as the Secretary may require. 

13 (c) GRANT USES.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—A covered entity receiving a 

15 grant under the program may use grant funds for 

16 a project, in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the 

17 United States— 

18 (A) to develop or construct a renewable en19 ergy system; 

20 (B) to carry out an activity to increase en21 ergy efficiency; 

22 (C) to develop or construct an energy stor23 age system or device for— 

24 (i) a system developed or constructed 

25 under subparagraph (A); or 


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1 (ii) an activity carried out under sub2 paragraph (B); 

3 (D) to develop or construct— 

4 (i) a smart grid; or 

5 (ii) a microgrid; or 

6 (E) to train residents of Puerto Rico or 

7 the Virgin Islands of the United States to de8 velop, construct, maintain, or operate a renew9 able energy system. 

10 (2) LIMITATION.—A covered entity receiving a 

11 grant under the program may not use grant funds 

12 to develop or construct a facility that generates elec13 tricity using energy derived from— 

14 (A) fossil fuels; or 

15 (B) nuclear power. 

16 (d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of En17 ergy shall ensure that Department of Energy national lab18 oratories offer to provide technical assistance to each cov19 ered entity carrying out a project assisted with a grant 

20 under the program. 

21 (e) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the es22 tablishment of the program, and on an annual basis there23 after, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report con24 taining— 


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1 (1) an estimate of the amount of funds dis2 bursed under the program; 

3 (2) an estimate of the energy conservation 

4 achieved as a result of the program; 

5 (3) a description of challenges encountered in 

6 implementing projects described in subsection (c)(1); 

7 and 

8 (4) recommendations as to additional legislative 

9 measures to increase the use of renewable energy in 

10 Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United 

11 States, as appropriate. 

12 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

13 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

14 necessary to carry out this section. 

15 SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.— 

17 (1) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 180 

18 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 

19 Comptroller General of the United States shall— 

20 (A) conduct a study regarding renewable 

21 energy and energy efficiency in Puerto Rico and 

22 the Virgin Islands of the United States; and 

23 (B) submit to Congress a report con24 taining— 

25 (i) the findings of the study; and 


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1 (ii) related recommendations. 

2 (2) COMPONENTS.—The study conducted under 

3 paragraph (1) shall consider, in relation to Puerto 

4 Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States, 

5 the potential— 

6 (A) to modify existing electric power sys7 tems to use renewable energy sources; 

8 (B) to expand the use of microgrids; and 

9 (C) to improve energy resiliency. 

10 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

11 authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out this 

12 section. 

13 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act, the following definitions apply: 

15 (1) COVERED ENTITY.—The term ‘‘covered en16 tity’’ means a not-for-profit organization determined 

17 eligible by the Secretary of Agriculture for purposes 

18 of this Act. 

19 (2) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL LAB20 ORATORIES.—The term ‘‘Department of Energy na21 tional laboratories’’ has the same meaning as the 

22 term ‘‘National Laboratory’’ under section 2 of the 

23 Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801). 

24 (3) MICROGRID.—The term ‘‘microgrid’’ means 

25 an electric system— 


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1 (A) that serves the local community with a 

2 power generation and distribution system; and 

3 (B) that has the ability— 

4 (i) to disconnect from a traditional 

5 electric grid; and 

6 (ii) to operate autonomously when dis7 connected. 

8 (4) RENEWABLE ENERGY; RENEWABLE ENERGY

9 SYSTEM.—The terms ‘‘renewable energy’’ and ‘‘re10 newable energy system’’ have the meanings given 

11 those terms in section 9001 of the Farm Security 

12 and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101). 

13 (5) SMART GRID.—The term ‘‘smart grid’’ 

14 means an intelligent electric grid that uses digital 

15 communications technology, information systems, 

16 and automation to, while maintaining high system 

17 reliability— 

18 (A) detect and react to local changes in 

19 usage; 

20 (B) improve system operating efficiency; 

21 and 

22 (C) reduce spending costs. 

Æ 


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