IB 
Union Calendar No. 190 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2774 
[Report No. 110–303] 
To support the research, development, and commercial application of solar 
energy technologies, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 19, 2007 
Ms. GIFFORDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science and Technology 
AUGUST 3, 2007 
Additional sponsors: Mr. MITCHELL, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Ms. EDDIE BER-
NICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. BARTLETT of Mary-
land, Mr. COHEN, Mr. COSTA, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. INS-
LEE, Mr. DONNELLY, Ms. LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ of California, Mr. REYES, 
Mr. HONDA, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. 
LAMPSON, and Mr. SMITH of Texas 
AUGUST 3, 2007 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
A BILL 
To support the research, development, and commercial appli-
cation of solar energy technologies, and for other pur-
poses. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Solar Energy Research 
and Advancement Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of Energy. 
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Energy. 
SEC. 3. THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a program of research and development to provide lower 
cost and more viable thermal energy storage technologies 
to enable the shifting of electric power loads on demand 
and extend the operating time of concentrating solar 
power electric generating plants. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for car-
rying out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, 
$7,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $9,000,000 for fiscal year 
2010, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $12,000,000 
for fiscal year 2012. 
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SEC. 4. CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER COMMERCIAL AP-
PLICATION STUDIES. 
(a) INTEGRATION.—The Secretary shall conduct a 
study on methods to integrate concentrating solar power 
into regional electricity transmission systems, and to iden-
tify new transmission or transmission upgrades needed to 
bring electricity from high concentrating solar power re-
source areas to growing electric power load centers 
throughout the United States. The study shall analyze and 
assess approaches for management and integration of con-
centrating solar power into regional electric transmission 
grids to improve electric reliability, to efficiently manage 
load, and to reduce demand on the natural gas trans-
mission system for electric power. The Secretary shall sub-
mit a report to Congress on the results of this study not 
later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(b)
WATER
CONSUMPTION.—Not
later
than
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Energy shall transmit to Congress a report 
on the results of a study on methods to reduce the amount 
of water consumed by concentrating solar power systems. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Solar Energy Research 
and Advancement Act of 2007’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of Energy. 
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of 
Energy. 
SEC. 3. THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a 
program of research and development to provide lower cost 
and more viable thermal energy storage technologies to en-
able the shifting of electric power loads on demand and ex-
tend the operating time of concentrating solar power electric 
generating plants. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying 
out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $7,000,000 
for fiscal year 2009, $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, 
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $12,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2012. 
SEC. 4. CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER COMMERCIAL AP-
PLICATION STUDIES. 
(a) INTEGRATION.—The Secretary shall conduct a 
study on methods to integrate concentrating solar power 
into regional electricity transmission systems, and to iden-
tify new transmission or transmission upgrades needed to 
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bring electricity from high concentrating solar power re-
source areas to growing electric power load centers through-
out the United States. The study shall analyze and assess 
cost-effective approaches for management and large-scale 
integration of concentrating solar power into regional elec-
tric transmission grids to improve electric reliability, to ef-
ficiently manage load, and to reduce demand on the natural 
gas transmission system for electric power. The Secretary 
shall submit a report to Congress on the results of this study 
not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) WATER CONSUMPTION.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Energy shall transmit to Congress a report on the results 
of a study on methods to reduce the amount of water con-
sumed by concentrating solar power systems. 
SEC. 5. SOLAR ENERGY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND 
CERTIFICATION GRANTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
in the Office of Solar Energy Technologies a competitive 
grant program to create and strengthen solar industry 
workforce training and internship programs in installa-
tion, operation, and maintenance of solar energy products. 
The goal of this program is to ensure a supply of well- 
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