IB 
Union Calendar No. 400 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3597 
[Report No. 116–499] 
To guide and authorize basic research programs in the United States for 
research, development, and demonstration of solar energy technologies, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 28, 2019 
Mr. MCADAMS (for himself and Mr. FORTENBERRY) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 
Additional sponsors: Mr. CRIST, Ms. ESCOBAR, and Mrs. AXNE 
SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 
Reported with amendments, 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] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 28, 2019] 
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A BILL 
To guide and authorize basic research programs in the 
United States for research, development, and demonstra-
tion of solar energy technologies, and for other purposes. 
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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 Development Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a 
solar energy program to conduct research, development, test-
ing, and evaluation of solar energy technologies. In car-
rying out such program, the Secretary shall, in accordance 
with subsection (b), award grants and enter into contracts 
and cooperative agreements under this section, and sections 
3, 4, and 5 for each of the following purposes: 
(1) To improve the energy efficiency, reliability, 
resilience, security, and capacity of solar energy gen-
eration. 
(2) To optimize the design and adaptability of 
solar energy systems to the broadest practical range 
of geographic and atmospheric conditions. 
(3) To reduce the cost of manufacturing, instal-
lation, operation, and maintenance of solar energy 
systems. 
(4) To create and improve conversion of solar en-
ergy to useful forms. 
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(b) GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREE-
MENTS.— 
(1) GRANTS.—In carrying out the program es-
tablished under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
award grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis 
to eligible entities for projects that the Secretary de-
termines would best achieve the goals of the program. 
(2) CONTRACTS
AND
COOPERATIVE
AGREE-
MENTS.—In carrying out the program established 
under subsection (a), the Secretary may enter into 
contracts and cooperative agreements with eligible en-
tities and Federal agencies for projects that the Sec-
retary determines would further the purposes of the 
program. 
(3) APPLICATION.—An entity seeking a grant or 
a contract or agreement under this Act shall submit 
to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
(c) SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH SUBJECT AREAS.—The 
program established under subsection (a) shall focus on the 
research, development, testing, and evaluation of each of the 
following subject areas: 
(1) Photovoltaic devices and related electronic 
components, including converters, sensors, energy 
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monitors, communication and control equipment, and 
protocols. 
(2) Concentrated solar power, including solar 
thermal and concentrating solar photovoltaic tech-
nologies. 
(3) Low cost, high-quality solar energy systems. 
(4) Low cost, thin-film solar technologies, includ-
ing the use of perovskite materials in solar cells. 
(5) Solar heating and cooling systems, including 
distributed solar-powered air conditioning. 
(6) Solar technology products that can be easily 
integrated into new buildings, existing buildings, ag-
ricultural and aquatic environments, and other infra-
structure. 
(7) Solar technology that is resilient to extreme 
weather events. 
(8) Solar technology products integrated into 
transportation applications in coordination with ve-
hicle technologies research and development activities 
supported by the Department of Energy. 
(9) Storage technologies to address the transience 
and intermittency of solar energy resources, including 
batteries, supercapacitors, and thermal storage. 
(10) Microgrids using solar technology. 
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(11) Solar technologies enabling safe grid oper-
ating conditions, such as fast-disconnect during an 
emergency. 
(12) Distributed solar energy technologies, such 
as rooftop solar panels. 
(13) Technologies and designs that enable a 
broad range of scales for solar power production. 
(14) Advanced solar manufacturing technologies 
and best practices, including— 
(A) materials and processes; 
(B) development of industry standards; 
(C) design and integration practices; and 
(D) optimized packaging methods and new 
device designs. 
(15) Advanced analytic and computing capabili-
ties for better modeling and simulations of solar en-
ergy systems. 
(16) Electrical grid integration, including— 
(A) integration of solar technologies into 
smart grid, transmission, and distribution; 
(B) coordination of solar with other distrib-
uted and large-scale energy resources; 
(C) electrical power smoothing; 
(D) microgrid integration; 
(E) community solar; 
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(F) solar resource forecasting; 
(G) regional and national electric system 
balancing and long distance transmission op-
tions, including direct current and super-
conducting transmission and long-term storage 
options; 
(H) ways to address system operations over 
minutes, hours, days, weeks, and seasons with re-
spect to the full range of project scales; and 
(I) electric grid security, including cyber 
and physical security. 
(17) Non-hardware and information-based ad-
vances in solar energy system design, installation, 
and operation. 
(18) Solar energy technology as a part of strate-
gies commonly referred to as ‘‘behind-the-meter strate-
gies’’, including with respect to electricity generation, 
load, energy efficiency, controls, storage, and electric 
vehicles. 
(19) Methods to reduce the total volume of water 
used in the manufacture, construction, operation, and 
maintenance of solar energy technologies. 
(20) Next generation demonstration facilities. 
(21) Other subject areas determined by the Sec-
retary. 
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(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND WORKFORCE DEVEL-
OPMENT.—In carrying out the program established under 
subsection (a), the Secretary may also conduct, for purposes 
of supporting technical, non-hardware, and information- 
based advances in solar energy systems development and op-
erations, including activities expanding access to solar en-
ergy for low-income individuals and communities— 
(1) technical assistance and analysis activities 
with eligible entities; and 
(2) workforce development and training activi-
ties, including activities that support the dissemina-
tion of standards and best practices for enabling solar 
power production. 
(e) PROGRAM TARGETS.—The program established 
under subsection (a) shall address near-term (up to 2 
years), mid-term (up to 7 years), and long-term (up to 15 
years) challenges to the advancement of solar energy sys-
tems. 
(f) SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY.—Each entity receiving 
a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this sec-
tion shall endeavor, in carrying out activities under such 
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to incorporate, 
where appropriate, sustainable and green chemistry and en-
gineering principles, practices, and methodologies. 
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