SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble participant’’ means— 
(A) an owner of a home; 
(B) a business entity; 
(C) a local educational agency; and 
(D) any other individual or entity that the 
Secretary determines to be appropriate. 
(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
(3) INSTALLED
NAMEPLATE
CAPACITY.—The 
term ‘‘installed nameplate capacity’’ means the max-
imum output of a solar electric system under specific 
conditions designated by the manufacturer of the 
solar electric system. 
(4) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(6) SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘solar 
energy system’’ means rooftop- or ground-mounted 
solar equipment— 
(A) that is used to generate electricity or 
heat water; and 
(B) with an installed nameplate capacity 
not exceeding 1 megawatt or the thermal equiv-
alent of 1 megawatt. 
SEC. 3. REBATES, LOANS, AND OTHER INCENTIVES FOR 
PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF SOLAR 
ENERGY SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish 
a program under which the Secretary shall provide com-
petitive grants to States, Indian tribes, and local govern-
ments to provide rebates, loans, or other incentives to eli-
gible participants for the purchase and installation of solar 
energy systems for properties located in the United States. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) COMPETITIVE GRANTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—For each fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall provide competitive grants 
to States, Indian tribes, and local governments 
to be used in accordance with this section. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(B) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall 
adopt and implement criteria for awarding com-
petitive grants under subparagraph (A) to 
States, Indian tribes, and local governments 
that would— 
(i) provide the maximum leverage of 
Federal funds; 
(ii) provide for the maximum deploy-
ment of solar energy; 
(iii) ensure that grants are awarded to 
a diversity of geographic locations and re-
cipients with different population sizes; 
(iv) provide not less than 2 percent of 
the funds available to Indian tribes and 
consortia of Indian tribes; and 
(v) provide a preference for grant re-
cipients that have established and main-
tained, or agree to commit to establish and 
maintain, standards and policies to over-
come barriers to distributed generation (in-
cluding interconnection and net metering) 
in a manner consistent with the legal au-
thorities of the grant recipient. 
(2) AUTHORIZED USE OF FUNDS.—Subject to 
subsection (c), competitive grants provided under 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
this section may be used to expand an existing, or 
establish and fund a new— 
(A) solar rebate program; 
(B) solar loan program; 
(C) solar performance-based incentive pro-
gram; or 
(D) solar incentive program, solar deploy-
ment program or project, or innovative solar fi-
nancing program not described in subpara-
graphs (A) through (C), as determined by the 
Secretary. 
(3) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—For each fiscal 
year during which a grant recipient uses funds pro-
vided under this section, the grant recipient shall— 
(A) certify to the Secretary that the funds 
will be used— 
(i) to supplement, expand, or create 
new programs or projects and will not sup-
plant existing programs as to maximize 
program participation; and 
(ii) to deploy an increased quantity of 
solar energy systems; and 
(B) submit to the Secretary an implemen-
tation plan that contains— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(i) projections for solar energy sys-
tems deployment; 
(ii) data regarding the number of eli-
gible participants that are assisted under 
existing applicable State and local pro-
grams; and 
(iii) projections for— 
(I) additional solar energy system 
deployment; and 
(II) the number of additional eli-
gible participants who will be covered 
by the annual implementation plan. 
(c) SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM.—With respect to grant 
awards in any fiscal year under this section, the Secretary 
may specify the type and capacity of the solar energy sys-
tem and type of deployment or incentive program for 
which the grant funds are made available. 
(d) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—Each eligible entity that 
receives funds under this section shall be responsible for 
an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount of the pro-
vided funds. 
(e) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not more than 5 percent of 
the amounts made available for each fiscal year 
under this section may be used to pay the adminis-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
trative expenses of the Department of Energy that 
the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry 
out this Act (including expenses arising from moni-
toring and evaluation). 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES; OTHER GRANT RECIPI-
ENTS.—Grant recipients may use amounts made 
available for each fiscal year under this section to 
pay for administrative expenses in accordance with 
section 545(b)(3)(A) of the Energy Independence 
and 
Security 
Act 
of 
2007 
(42 
U.S.C. 
17155(b)(3)(A)). 
(f) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAW.—An eligible par-
ticipant that receives a rebate under this section shall not 
be eligible for a rebate under section 206(c) of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15853). 
(g) COORDINATION; CONSULTATION.—To the max-
imum extent practicable, the Secretary shall consult with 
the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chief Executive of 
each grant recipient that receives funds under this section 
to ensure that each program carried out by each grant 
recipient through the use of the funds is coordinated with 
each other applicable incentive or financing program of the 
Federal Government or any other applicable program. 
(h) MAXIMUM INCENTIVE.— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to each rebate, 
grant, and tax credit provided to an eligible partici-
pant under this section, the aggregate value of the 
grants, rebates, and tax credits may not exceed 50 
percent of the cost to the purchaser of the purchase 
and installation of the solar energy system. 
(2) EFFECT.—Nothing in this subsection af-
fects any solar loan or financing program under this 
section or any other law (including regulations). 
(i) GOAL.—It is the goal of the United States, 
through this Act and any appropriate incentive or research 
and development program, to install distributed solar en-
ergy systems on not less than 10,000,000 properties lo-
cated in the United States by December 31, 2021. 
(j) REPORT REGARDING ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—Not later than 270 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives a report that contains additional 
recommendations that the Secretary determines to be nec-
essary to achieve the goal described in subsection (i), in-
cluding any modification to the program established under 
subsection (a). 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(k) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section— 
(1) for fiscal year 2012, $250,000,000; and 
(2) for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2021, 
such sums as are necessary. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:28 Jul 24, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5821.IH
H5821
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS