Renewable HEAT for Schools Act

To authorize the Secretary of Energy to make grants to local educational agencies for purposes of supporting renewable energy-based heating and cooling systems in schools. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Renewable HVAC Energy And Technology for Schools Act Renewable HEAT for Schools Act 2. Renewable energy heating and cooling systems grant program (a) Establishment The Secretary of Energy shall, from funds appropriated pursuant to subsection (g), make grants to local educational agencies for purposes of encouraging schools to use heating and cooling systems that use renewable energy. (b) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a local educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary, in a time and manner to be prescribed by the Secretary, that identifies proposed projects such grant would be used to fund. (c) Selection In selecting grant recipients, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants whose applications— (1) propose projects that address the needs of schools with heating or cooling systems in need of immediate replacement; and (2) propose an effective plan for the evaluation, measurement, and verification of energy savings. (d) Use of funds Funds made available by a grant made under this section may be used by a recipient only to— (1) install a heating or cooling system that uses renewable energy in an elementary school or secondary school; or (2) maintain and repair such a system installed using funds from a grant made under this section. (e) Cost-Sharing A local educational agency that receives a grant under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, not less than 50 percent of the funds for the total cost of each project funded by such grant. The non-Federal share may be provided in the form of in-kind contributions. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Elementary school The term elementary school 20 U.S.C. 7801 (2) Geothermal heat pump The term geothermal heat pump (A) a closed loop system, which transfers heat by way of buried or immersed pipes that contain a mix of water and working fluid; (B) an open loop system, which circulates ground or surface water directly into the building and returns the water to the same aquifer or surface water source; or (C) a food grade plate heat exchanger to transfer heat between a municipal or private potable water supply system and a closed interior loop employing heat pumps, in which the potable water utilized could be returned to the municipal or private supply system after passing through the heat exchanger. (3) Local educational agency The term local educational agency 20 U.S.C. 7801 (4) Renewable energy The term renewable energy (A) a renewable energy resource, as defined in section 403(2) of the Renewable Energy Resources Act of 1980 ( 42 U.S.C. 7372(2) (B) geothermal resources, including a geothermal heat pump; or (C) any other source the Secretary determines appropriate for purposes of this section. (5) Secondary school The term secondary school 20 U.S.C. 7801 (6) Secretary The term Secretary (g) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 for purposes of carrying out this section.

Summary: Renewable HVAC Energy And Technology for Schools Act or the Renewable HEAT for Schools Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to make grants to local educational agencies for encouraging schools to use heating and cooling systems that use renewable energy.