I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4907 
To establish Energy Innovation Hubs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 22, 2010 
Mr. CARNAHAN (for himself, Mr. TONKO, and Ms. GIFFORDS) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology 
A BILL 
To establish Energy Innovation Hubs, and for other 
purposes. 
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 ‘‘Energy Innovation 
Hubs Authorization Act of 2010’’. 
SEC. 2. ENERGY INNOVATION HUBS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall carry out a program to enhance the Nation’s 
economic, environmental, and energy security by 
making grants to consortia for establishing and op-
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erating Energy Innovation Hubs to conduct and 
support, whenever practicable at one centralized lo-
cation, multidisciplinary, collaborative research, de-
velopment, demonstration, and commercial applica-
tion of advanced energy technologies in areas not 
being served by the private sector. 
(2) TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOCUS.—The 
Secretary shall designate for each Hub a unique ad-
vanced energy technology development focus. 
(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall en-
sure the coordination of, and avoid unnecessary du-
plication of, the activities of Hubs with those of 
other Department of Energy research entities, in-
cluding the National Laboratories, the Advanced Re-
search Projects Agency—Energy, and Energy Fron-
tier Research Centers, and within industry. Such co-
ordination shall include convening and consulting 
with representatives of staff of the Department of 
Energy, representatives from Hubs and the quali-
fying entities that are members of the consortia op-
erating the Hubs, and representatives of such other 
entities as the Secretary considers appropriate, to 
share research results, program plans, and opportu-
nities for collaboration. 
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(4) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall ad-
minister this section with respect to each Hub 
through the Department program office appropriate 
to administer the subject matter of the technology 
development focus assigned under paragraph (2) for 
the Hub. 
(b) CONSORTIA.— 
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section for the establishment and 
operation of a Hub, a consortium shall— 
(A) be composed of no fewer than 2 quali-
fying entities; 
(B) operate subject to a binding agreement 
entered into by its members that documents— 
(i) the proposed partnership agree-
ment, including the governance and man-
agement structure of the Hub; 
(ii) measures to enable cost-effective 
implementation of the program under this 
section; 
(iii) a proposed budget, including fi-
nancial contributions from non-Federal 
sources; 
(iv) conflict of interest procedures 
consistent with subsection (d)(3), all 
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known material conflicts of interest, and 
corresponding mitigation plans; 
(v) an accounting structure that en-
ables the Secretary to ensure that the con-
sortium has complied with the require-
ments of this section; and 
(vi) an external advisory committee 
consistent with subsection (d)(2); and 
(C) operate as a nonprofit organization. 
(2) APPLICATION.—A consortium seeking to es-
tablish and operate a Hub under this section, acting 
through a prime applicant, shall transmit to the Sec-
retary an application at such time, in such form, 
and accompanied by such information as the Sec-
retary shall require, including a detailed description 
of the elements of the consortium agreement re-
quired under paragraph (1)(B). 
(c) SELECTION
AND SCHEDULE.—The Secretary 
shall select consortia for grants for the establishment and 
operation of Hubs through competitive selection processes. 
Grants made to a Hub shall be for a period not to exceed 
5 years, after which the grant may be renewed, subject 
to a competitive selection process. 
(d) HUB OPERATIONS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Hubs shall conduct or pro-
vide for multidisciplinary, collaborative research, de-
velopment, demonstration, and commercial applica-
tion of advanced energy technologies within the tech-
nology development focus designated for the Hub by 
the Secretary under subsection (a)(2). Each Hub 
shall— 
(A) encourage collaboration and commu-
nication among the member qualifying entities 
of the consortium and awardees by conducting 
activities whenever practicable at one central-
ized location; 
(B) develop and publish on the Depart-
ment of Energy’s website proposed plans and 
programs; 
(C) submit an annual report to the Sec-
retary summarizing the Hub’s activities, includ-
ing detailing organizational expenditures, listing 
external advisory committee members, and de-
scribing each project undertaken by the Hub; 
and 
(D) monitor project implementation and 
coordination. 
(2) EXTERNAL
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.—Each 
Hub shall establish an external advisory committee, 
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the membership of which shall have sufficient exper-
tise to advise and provide guidance on scientific, 
technical, industry, financial, and research manage-
ment matters. 
(3) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.— 
(A) PROCEDURES.—Hubs shall establish 
conflict of interest procedures, consistent with 
those of the Department of Energy, to ensure 
that employees and consortia designees for Hub 
activities who are in decisionmaking capacities 
disclose all material conflicts of interest, includ-
ing financial, organizational, and personal con-
flicts of interest. 
(B) 
DISQUALIFICATION
AND
REVOCA-
TION.—The Secretary may disqualify an appli-
cation or revoke funds distributed to a Hub if 
the Secretary discovers a failure to comply with 
conflict of interest procedures established under 
subparagraph (A). 
(e) PROHIBITION
ON CONSTRUCTION.—No funds 
provided pursuant to this section may be used for con-
struction of new buildings or facilities for Hubs. Construc-
tion of new buildings or facilities shall not be considered 
as part of the non-Federal share of a Hub cost-sharing 
agreement. 
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(f) OVERSIGHT BOARD.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish and maintain within the Department an Oversight 
Board to oversee the progress of Hubs. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) ADVANCED
ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY.—The 
term ‘‘advanced energy technology’’ means an inno-
vative technology— 
(A) that produces energy from solar, wind, 
geothermal, biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or 
other renewable energy resources; 
(B) that produces nuclear energy; 
(C) for carbon capture and sequestration; 
or 
(D) that generates, transmits, distributes, 
utilizes, or stores energy more efficiently than 
conventional technologies. 
(2) HUB.—The term ‘‘Hub’’ means an Energy 
Innovation Hub established in accordance with this 
section. 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(4) QUALIFYING
ENTITY.—The term ‘‘quali-
fying entity’’ means— 
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(A) an institution of higher education; 
(B) an appropriate State or Federal entity; 
(C) a nongovernmental organization with 
expertise in advanced energy technology re-
search, development, demonstration, or com-
mercial application; or 
(D) any other relevant entity the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section— 
(1) $110,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
(2) $135,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
(3) $195,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; 
(4) $210,000,000 for fiscal year 2014; and 
(5) $210,000,000 for fiscal year 2015. 
Æ 
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