I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4597 
To increase the quantity of solar photovoltaic electricity by providing rebates 
for the purchase and installation of an additional 10,000,000 solar roofs 
and additional solar water heating systems with a cumulative capacity 
of 10,000,000 gallons by 2019. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2010 
Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. HALL of New 
York, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. 
SIRES, Mr. WELCH, and Mr. YARMUTH) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To increase the quantity of solar photovoltaic electricity by 
providing rebates for the purchase and installation of 
an additional 10,000,000 solar roofs and additional solar 
water heating systems with a cumulative capacity of 
10,000,000 gallons by 2019. 
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 ‘‘10 Million Solar Roofs 
and 10 Million Gallons of Solar Water Heating Act of 
2010’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1)(A) there is huge potential for increasing the 
quantity of electricity produced in the United States 
from distributed solar photovoltaics and solar water 
heating systems; 
(B) the use of solar photovoltaics on the roofs 
of 10 percent of existing buildings could meet 70 
percent of peak electric demand; 
(C) a key barrier to increased deployment of 
solar photovoltaic and hot water heating systems is 
the upfront cost of capital, even though over time 
the systems are cost-effective; 
(2) investment in solar photovoltaics technology 
will create economies of scale that will allow the 
technology to deliver electricity at prices that are 
competitive with electricity from fossil fuels; 
(3) electricity produced from distributed solar 
photovoltaics helps to reduce greenhouse gas emis-
sions, does not emit harmful air pollutants, such as 
mercury, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, uses 
existing rooftop space, and does not require addi-
tional land for generation, thereby conserving nat-
ural resources and wildlife habitat; 
(4) electricity produced from distributed solar 
photovoltaics enhances national energy security and 
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average household $600 annually and reduce the oil 
consumption of the State by 30,000 barrels in 2010 
alone; and 
(E) the State of Florida has used consumer and 
business rebate programs for solar photovoltaic and 
solar water heating systems and is second in the 
United States in installed solar hot water systems; 
(7) despite inventing solar technology, the 
United States has fallen behind nations with less 
solar resources because those nations have set in 
place policies to promote solar energy, and the 
United States now ranks fourth in installed solar be-
hind Germany, Spain, and Japan; 
(8) there are more than 1,500,000 solar water 
heating systems in the United States that rely on a 
free fuel source, the sun, to provide hot water, and 
there is enormous potential for additional solar hot 
water systems to displace fossil fuel use in water 
heating; and 
(9) homes in the United States spend more 
than $13,000,000,000 on energy for water heating, 
which is equivalent to 11.4 barrels of oil per home 
and accounts for approximately 30 percent of the 
carbon dioxide emissions of an average home, but 
solar water heating systems can reduce the cost of 
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water heating and reduce residential carbon dioxide 
emissions. 
SEC. 3. REBATES FOR PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF 
PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS AND SOLAR WATER 
HEATING SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy (referred 
to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall establish a pro-
gram under which the Secretary shall provide rebates to 
eligible individuals or entities for the purchase and instal-
lation of solar photovoltaic systems and solar water heat-
ing systems for residential and commercial properties in 
order to install, over the 10-year period beginning on the 
date of enactment of this Act, at least— 
(1) an additional 10,000,000 solar systems in 
the United States (as compared to the number of 
solar systems installed in the United States as of the 
date of enactment of this Act) with a cumulative ca-
pacity of at least 30,000 megawatts; and 
(2) an additional 200,000 solar water heating 
systems in the United States (as compared to the 
number of solar water heating systems installed in 
the United States as of the date of enactment of this 
Act) with a cumulative capacity of 10,000,000 gal-
lons. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible for a rebate 
under this section— 
(A) the recipient of the rebate shall be a 
homeowner, business, nonprofit entity, or State 
or local government that purchased and in-
stalled a solar photovoltaic system or solar 
water heating system for a property located in 
the United States; and 
(B) the total capacity of the solar photo-
voltaic system for the property shall not exceed 
2 megawatts. 
(2) OTHER INCENTIVES.—The Secretary shall 
issue guidance to participating solar installers and 
contractors to ensure that information is made avail-
able to rebate recipients on all available Federal, 
State, local, and other incentives for energy effi-
ciency improvements that can be made in the build-
ings on the property at which the solar photovoltaic 
or hot water heating system is being installed. 
(3) OTHER ENTITIES.—After public review and 
comment, the Secretary may identify other individ-
uals or entities located in the United States that 
qualify for a rebate under this section. 
(c) AMOUNTS.— 
(1) SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B) and paragraph (3), the amount of a 
rebate provided to an eligible individual or enti-
ty for the purchase and installation of a solar 
photovoltaic system for a property under this 
section shall be a rebate per watt of installed 
capacity not to exceed the following amounts: 
Calendar year 
Dollar per watt 
2010 .......................................................................
1.75 
2011 .......................................................................
1.75 
2012 .......................................................................
1.5 
2013 .......................................................................
1.25 
2014 .......................................................................
2015 .......................................................................
2016 .......................................................................
0.75 
2017 .......................................................................
0.75 
2018 .......................................................................
0.5 
2019 .......................................................................
0.5. 
(B) ADJUSTMENTS.—The Secretary may 
adjust the maximum amounts described in sub-
paragraph (A)— 
(i) to ensure deployment consistent 
with the purposes of this Act; and 
(ii) to respond to projected and actual 
market conditions. 
(2) SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B) and paragraph (3), the amount of a 
rebate provided to an eligible individual or enti-
ty for the purchase and installation of a solar 
water heating system under this section shall be 
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not more than $1 for each watt thermal-equiva-
lent of installed capacity during calendar year 
2010. 
(B) ADJUSTMENTS.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that the maximum amount described in 
subparagraph (A) decreases over time at a rate 
that is similar to the schedule described in 
paragraph (1)(A), and consistent with projected 
and actual market conditions and the purposes 
of this Act, for each watt thermal-equivalent of 
installed capacity. 
(3) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The total amount of a 
rebate provided to an eligible individual or entity for 
the purchase and installation of a solar photovoltaic 
system or solar water heating system for a property 
under this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the 
remaining cost to the purchaser for the purchase 
and installation of the system (after consideration of 
all applicable Federal, State, and local incentives 
and tax credits). 
(d) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAW.—The authority 
provided under this section shall be in addition to any 
other authority under which credits or other types of fi-
nancial assistance are provided for installation of a solar 
photovoltaic or solar water heating system for a property. 
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(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
Æ 
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