I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3585 
To guide and provide for United States research, development, and 
demonstration of solar energy technologies, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 16, 2009 
Ms. GIFFORDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science and Technology 
A BILL 
To guide and provide for United States research, develop-
ment, and demonstration of solar energy technologies, 
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 ‘‘Solar Technology 
Roadmap Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
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(2) SOLAR
TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘solar 
technology’’ means— 
(A) photovoltaic technologies, including 
technologies utilizing— 
(i) crystalline silicon; 
(ii) cadmium telluride; 
(iii) semiconductor materials con-
taining copper, indium, and selenium; 
(iv) thin film silicon; 
(v) gallium arsenide alloy and multi-
junctions; 
(vi) dye-sensitized and organic solar 
cell technologies; 
(vii) concentrating photovoltaics; and 
(viii) other photovoltaic methods iden-
tified by the Secretary; 
(B) solar thermal electric technology, in-
cluding linear concentrator systems, dish/engine 
systems, and power tower systems; 
(C) solar thermal water heating tech-
nology; 
(D) solar heating and air conditioning 
technologies; 
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(6) development of solar technology products 
that can be easily integrated into new and existing 
buildings; and 
(7) other areas as the Secretary considers ap-
propriate. 
(b) AWARDS.—The Secretary shall provide awards 
under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis 
to— 
(1) academic institutions, national laboratories, 
Federal research agencies, State research agencies, 
nonprofit organizations, industrial entities, or con-
sortia thereof for research, development, and dem-
onstration activities; and 
(2) industry-led consortia for research, develop-
ment, and demonstration of advanced techniques for 
manufacturing a variety of solar energy products. 
(c) OBJECTIVE.—It is the policy of the United States 
that at least 75 percent of funding for solar technology 
research, development, and demonstration activities con-
ducted by the Department of Energy after fiscal year 
2014 support activities identified by and recommended 
under the Solar Technology Roadmap as described in sec-
tion 102. 
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SEC. 102. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Solar Technology 
Roadmap Committee established under section 103 shall 
develop and transmit to the Secretary of Energy and the 
Congress a Solar Technology Roadmap that— 
(1) presents the best current estimate of the 
near-term (up to 2 years), mid-term (up to 7 years), 
and long-term (up to 15 years) research, develop-
ment, and demonstration needs in solar technology; 
and 
(2) provides guidance to the solar technology 
research, development, and demonstration activities 
supported by the Federal Government for the pur-
poses of meeting national priorities in energy secu-
rity, United States competitiveness, climate change 
mitigation, and energy diversification. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The Solar Technology Roadmap 
shall— 
(1) identify research, development, and dem-
onstration needs to address— 
(A) the key solar energy production chal-
lenges of intermittency, transience, storage, and 
scaling, including determining— 
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(i) which solar-related technological 
solutions are appropriate for various appli-
cations, locations, and seasons; 
(ii) how to store excess solar energy in 
batteries, supercapacitors, compressed air, 
flywheels, hydrogen, synthetic fuels, ther-
mal 
storage, 
or 
superconductors, 
or 
through other means; 
(iii) how and when to integrate solar 
energy into the electricity grid effectively, 
including— 
(I) the integration of solar tech-
nologies with a Smart Grid; 
(II) electrical power smoothing; 
(III) microgrid integration; 
(IV) solar resource forecasting; 
(V) long distance transmission; 
and 
(VI) ways to address arbitrage 
over minutes, hours, days, weeks, and 
seasons with respect to the full range 
of project scales; and 
(iv) how best to integrate solar tech-
nologies into buildings; 
(B) modeling and simulation; 
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(C) the design, materials, and manufacture 
of solar technologies, as well as related factory 
sciences; 
(D) the development of standards; 
(E) the need for demonstration facilities; 
(F) optimized packaging methods; and 
(G) environmental, safety, and health con-
cerns including reuse, recycling, hazardous ma-
terials disposal, and photovoltaic waste issues; 
(2) identify opportunities for coordination with 
partner industries such as those for semiconductors, 
LED lighting, energy storage, Smart Grid, and wind 
that can benefit from similar advances; 
(3) establish research, development, and dem-
onstration goals with specific timeframes with re-
spect to solar technologies for— 
(A) improving performance; 
(B) decreasing cost of electricity generated; 
(C) improving reliability; and 
(D) decreasing negative environmental im-
pacts and maximizing the environmental bene-
fits of solar technologies by examining life-cycle 
assessments of greenhouse gas emissions, en-
ergy payback time, and water usage; and 
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(4) include recommendations, as appropriate, to 
guide solar technology research, development, and 
demonstration activities. 
(c) REVISIONS AND UPDATES.— 
(1) REVISIONS.—Once every 3 years after com-
pletion of the first Solar Technology Roadmap under 
this Act, the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee 
shall conduct a comprehensive review and revision of 
the Solar Technology Roadmap. 
(2) UPDATES.—The Solar Technology Road-
map Committee shall update the Solar Technology 
Roadmap annually as necessary. 
SEC. 103. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 4 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish, and provide support for as necessary, a Solar 
Technology Roadmap Committee. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Solar Technology Road-
map Committee shall consist of at least 11 members. 
Each member shall be appointed by the Secretary 
from among subject matter experts representing— 
(A) different sectors of the solar tech-
nology industry, including manufacturers and 
equipment suppliers; 
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(B) national laboratories; 
(C) academia; 
(D) relevant Federal agencies; 
(E) relevant State and local government 
entities; and 
(F) other entities or organizations, as ap-
propriate. 
(2) TERMS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the term of a member of the 
Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall be 
3 years. 
(B) ORIGINAL
TERMS.—Of the members 
appointed originally to the Solar Technology 
Roadmap Committee, approximately 1⁄3 shall be 
appointed for a 2-year term, approximately 1⁄3 
shall be appointed for a 3-year term, and ap-
proximately 1⁄3 shall be appointed for a 4-year 
term. 
(3) LIMIT ON TERMS.—A member of the Solar 
Technology Roadmap Committee may serve more 
than 1 term, except that such member may not serve 
a subsequent term unless 2 years have elapsed since 
the end of a previous term. 
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(4) INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION.—At least 1⁄3 of 
the members of the Solar Technology Roadmap 
Committee shall be individuals described in para-
graph (1)(A). 
(5) CHAIR.—The Secretary shall select a Chair 
from among the members of the Committee. The 
Chair shall not be an employee of the Federal Gov-
ernment. 
(c) EXPERT ADVICE.—In developing the Solar Tech-
nology Roadmap, the Solar Technology Roadmap Com-
mittee may establish subcommittees, working groups com-
prised of experts outside the membership of the Solar 
Technology Roadmap Committee, and other means of 
gathering expert advice on— 
(1) particular solar technologies or technological 
challenges; 
(2) crosscutting issues or activities relating to 
more than 1 particular solar technology or techno-
logical challenge; or 
(3) any other area the Solar Technology Road-
map Committee considers appropriate. 
(d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
apply to the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee. 
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SEC. 104. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION. 
The Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall coordinate Federal interagency activities iden-
tified in and related to the Solar Technology Roadmap. 
SEC. 
105. 
SOLAR 
TECHNOLOGY 
DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
shall establish a program to provide grants for demonstra-
tion projects to support the development of solar energy 
production, consistent with the Solar Technology Road-
map. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—In carrying out the dem-
onstration program under this section, to the extent prac-
ticable, the Secretary shall— 
(1) include at least 10 photovoltaic technology 
projects that generate between 1 and 3 megawatts; 
(2) include at least 2 but not more than 3 solar 
thermal electric technology projects that generate 
greater than 30 megawatts; and 
(3) make awards for projects that— 
(A) are located and can be replicated at a 
wide range of sites; 
(B) demonstrate technologies that address 
intermittency, transience, and storage chal-
lenges; 
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(C) facilitate identification of optimum 
techniques among competing alternatives; 
(D) include business commercialization 
plans that have the potential for production of 
equipment at high volumes; 
(E) improve United States competitiveness 
and lead to development of manufacturing tech-
nology; 
(F) demonstrate positive environmental 
performance through life-cycle analysis; and 
(G) satisfy other criteria that the Sec-
retary considers necessary to carry out the pro-
gram. 
(c) GRANT AWARDS.—Funding provided under this 
section may be used, to the extent that funding is not oth-
erwise available through other Federal programs or power 
purchase agreements, for— 
(1) a necessary and appropriate site engineering 
study; 
(2) a detailed economic assessment of site-spe-
cific conditions; 
(3) appropriate feasibility studies to determine 
whether the demonstration can be replicated; 
(4) installation of equipment, service, and sup-
port; 
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(5) operation for a minimum of 3 years and 
monitoring for the duration of the demonstration; 
and 
(6) validation of technical, economic, and envi-
ronmental assumptions and documentation of les-
sons learned. 
(d) GRANT SELECTION.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act and annually there-
after, the Secretary shall conduct a national solicitation 
for applications for grants under this section. Grant re-
cipients shall be selected on a merit-reviewed, competitive 
basis. The Secretary shall give preference to proposals 
that address multiple elements described in subsection (b). 
(e) LIMITATIONS.—Funding shall not be provided 
under this section for more than 50 percent of the costs 
of the project for which assistance is provided. Not more 
than a total of $300,000,000 shall be provided under this 
section for the period encompassing fiscal years 2011 
through 2015. 
SEC. 106. PHOTOVOLTAIC PERFORMANCE STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit 
to the Congress the results of a study that analyzes the 
performance of photovoltaic installations in the United 
States. The study shall assess the current performance of 
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photovoltaic installations and identify opportunities to im-
prove the energy productivity of these systems through 
management, technology, and installation best practices. 
Such study shall include— 
(1) identification of the average energy produc-
tivity of current commercial and residential installa-
tions; 
(2) assessment of areas where energy produc-
tivity is reduced, including wire loss, module mis-
match, shading, dust, and other factors; 
(3) identification of practices and technologies 
that improve energy productivity; 
(4) analysis of the potential cost savings and 
energy productivity gains to the Federal, State, and 
local governments, utilities, private enterprise, and 
consumers available through the adoption, installa-
tion, and use of high-performance photovoltaic tech-
nologies and practices; and 
(5) an overview of current government incen-
tives at the Federal, State, and local levels that en-
courage the adoption of highly efficient photovoltaic 
systems and practices. 
(b) PUBLIC INPUT.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
interested stakeholders, including affected industry stake-
holders and energy efficiency advocates, have a meaningful 
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opportunity to provide comments, data, and other infor-
mation on the scope, contents, and conclusions of the 
study. 
SEC. 107. SOLAR ENERGY PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out section 101(a)— 
(1) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
(2) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
(3) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; 
(4) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2014; and 
(5) $550,000,000 for fiscal year 2015. 
(b) ROADMAP IDENTIFIED ACTIVITIES.—The Sec-
retary shall dedicate a percentage of funding received pur-
suant to subsection (a) for research, development, and 
demonstration activities identified by and recommended 
under the Solar Technology Roadmap in the following per-
centages: 
(1) For fiscal year 2012, at least 30 percent. 
(2) For fiscal year 2013, at least 45 percent. 
(3) For fiscal year 2014, at least 60 percent. 
(4) For fiscal year 2015, at least 75 percent. 
(c) SOLAR TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP.—The Secretary 
may use up to $2,000,000 of the funds appropriated pur-
suant to subsection (a) for each fiscal year to support the 
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establishment and maintenance of the Solar Technology 
Roadmap. 
(d) EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS.—Of funds au-
thorized by subsection (a), there are authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Secretary to carry out— 
(1) section 602 of the Energy Independence 
and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17171) 
$12,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 
through 2015; and 
(2) section 604 of the Energy Independence 
and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17172) 
$10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 
through 2015. 
SEC. 108. EXISTING PROGRAMS. 
Except as otherwise specified in this Act, this Act 
shall supersede any duplicative or conflicting solar re-
search, development, and demonstration programs within 
the Department of Energy. 
SEC. 109. REPEALS. 
The following are hereby repealed: 
(1) The Solar Energy Research, Development, 
and Demonstration Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5551 et 
seq.), except for section 10. 
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(2) The Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, 
Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978 (42 
U.S.C. 5581 et seq.). 
(3) Section 4(a)(2) and (3) of the Renewable 
Energy and Energy Efficiency Technology Competi-
tiveness Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 12003(a)(2) and 
(3)). 
TITLE II—PHOTOVOLTAIC 
RECYCLING 
SEC. 201. PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE RECYCLING RESEARCH, 
DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION. 
(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘photo-
voltaic device’’ includes photovoltaic cells and the elec-
tronic and electrical components of such devices. 
(b) IN GENERAL.—In order to address the issues de-
scribed in section 102(b)(1)(G), the Secretary shall award 
multiyear grants for research, development, and dem-
onstration activities to create innovative and practical ap-
proaches to increase reuse and recycling of photovoltaic 
devices and, through such activities, to contribute to the 
professional development of scientists, engineers, and tech-
nicians in the fields of photovoltaic and electronic device 
manufacturing, design, refurbishing, and recycling. The 
activities supported under this section shall address— 
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(1) technology to increase the efficiency of pho-
tovoltaic device recycling and maximize the recovery 
of valuable raw materials for use in new products 
while minimizing the life-cycle environmental im-
pacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and water 
usage; 
(2) expanded uses for materials from recycled 
photovoltaic devices; 
(3) development and demonstration of environ-
mentally responsible alternatives to the use of haz-
ardous materials in photovoltaic devices and the pro-
duction of such devices; 
(4) development of methods to separate and re-
move hazardous materials from photovoltaic devices 
and to recycle or dispose of those materials in a safe 
manner; 
(5) product design and construction to facilitate 
disassembly and recycling of photovoltaic devices; 
(6) tools and methods to aid in assessing the 
environmental impacts of the production of photo-
voltaic devices and photovoltaic device recycling and 
disposal; 
(7) product design and construction and other 
tools and techniques to extend the life cycle of pho-
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tovoltaic devices, including methods to promote their 
safe reuse; 
(8) strategies to increase consumer acceptance 
and practice of recycling of photovoltaic devices; and 
(9) processes to reduce the costs and environ-
mental impact of disposal of toxic materials used in 
photovoltaic devices. 
(c) MERIT REVIEW.—Grants shall be awarded under 
this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.—Each application shall include a 
description of— 
(1) the project that will be undertaken and the 
contributions of each participating entity; 
(2) the applicability of the project to increasing 
reuse and recycling of photovoltaic devices with the 
least environmental impacts as measured by life- 
cycle analyses, and the potential for incorporating 
the research results into industry practice; and 
(3) how the project will promote collaboration 
among scientists and engineers from different dis-
ciplines, such as electrical engineering, materials 
science, and social science. 
(e) DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS.—The results of ac-
tivities supported under this section shall be made publicly 
available through— 
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(1) development of best practices or training 
materials for use in the photovoltaics manufacturing, 
design, refurbishing, or recycling industries; 
(2) dissemination at industry conferences; 
(3) coordination with information dissemination 
programs relating to recycling of electronic devices 
in general; 
(4) demonstration projects; and 
(5) educational materials for the public pro-
duced in conjunction with State and local govern-
ments or nonprofit organizations on the problems 
and solutions related to reuse and recycling of pho-
tovoltaic devices. 
(f) PHOTOVOLTAIC MATERIALS PHYSICAL PROPERTY 
DATABASE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
an initiative to develop a comprehensive physical 
property database of materials for use in photo-
voltaic devices. 
(2) PRIORITIES.—The Secretary, working with 
private industry, shall develop a plan to establish 
priorities and requirements for the database under 
this subsection. 
(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall co-
ordinate with the Director of the National Institute 
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of Standards and Technology and the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency to facilitate 
the incorporation of the database under this sub-
section with any existing ‘‘green’’ database for elec-
tronic manufacturing and recycling. 
Æ 
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