153 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an in-
terim report describing the progress made under this sub-
title. At the end of 60 months, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on the results of projects undertaken 
under this subtitle and other such information the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(2) As necessary, the Secretary shall report to the 
Congress on any legal, regulatory, or other barriers en-
countered that hinder economic development of these re-
sources, and provide recommendations on legislative or 
other actions needed to address such impediments. 
SEC. 4213. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS. 
Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed as waiving 
the applicability of any requirement under any environ-
mental or other Federal or State law. 
SEC. 4214. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this subtitle $90,000,000 for each of 
the fiscal years 2008 through 2012, of which $10,000,000 
for each fiscal year shall be for carrying out section 4207. 
There are also authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary for the Intermountain West Geothermal Consor-
tium $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 
2012.
154 
Subtitle D—Solar Energy 
PART 1—RESEARCH AND ADVANCEMENT 
SEC. 4301. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Solar Energy Re-
search and Advancement Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 4302. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this part: 
(1) The term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of Energy. 
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Energy. 
SEC. 4303. THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a program of research and development to provide lower 
cost and more viable thermal energy storage technologies 
to enable the shifting of electric power loads on demand 
and extend the operating time of concentrating solar 
power electric generating plants. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for car-
rying out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, 
$7,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $9,000,000 for fiscal year 
2010, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $12,000,000 
for fiscal year 2012.
155 
SEC. 4304. CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER COMMERCIAL 
APPLICATION STUDIES. 
(a) INTEGRATION.—The Secretary shall conduct a 
study on methods to integrate concentrating solar power 
into regional electricity transmission systems, and to iden-
tify new transmission or transmission upgrades needed to 
bring electricity from high concentrating solar power re-
source areas to growing electric power load centers 
throughout the United States. The study shall analyze and 
assess cost-effective approaches for management and 
large-scale integration of concentrating solar power into 
regional electric transmission grids to improve electric reli-
ability, to efficiently manage load, and to reduce demand 
on the natural gas transmission system for electric power. 
The Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the 
results of this study not later than 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) WATER
CONSUMPTION.—Not later than 6 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Energy shall transmit to Congress a report 
on the results of a study on methods to reduce the amount 
of water consumed by concentrating solar power systems. 
SEC. 4305. SOLAR ENERGY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 
AND CERTIFICATION GRANTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
in the Office of Solar Energy Technologies a competitive
156 
grant program to create and strengthen solar industry 
workforce training and internship programs in installa-
tion, operation, and maintenance of solar energy products. 
The goal of this program is to ensure a supply of well- 
trained individuals to support the expansion of the solar 
energy industry. 
(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Grant funds may be 
used to support the following activities: 
(1) Creation and development of a solar energy 
curriculum appropriate for the local educational, en-
trepreneurial, and environmental conditions, includ-
ing curriculum for community colleges. 
(2) Support of certification programs, such as 
the North American Board of Certified Energy 
Practitioners, for individual solar energy system in-
stallers, instructors, and training programs. 
(3) Internship programs that provide hands-on 
participation by students in commercial applications. 
(4) Activities required to obtain certification of 
training programs and facilities by the Institute of 
Sustainable Power or an equivalent industry-accept-
ed quality-control certification program. 
(5) Incorporation of solar-specific learning mod-
ules into traditional occupational training and in-
ternship programs for construction-related trades.
157 
(6) The purchase of equipment necessary to 
carry out activities under this section. 
(7) Support of programs that provide guidance 
and updates to solar energy curriculum instructors. 
(c) ADMINISTRATION OF GRANTS.—Grants may be 
awarded under this section for up to 3 years. The Sec-
retary shall award grants to ensure sufficient geographic 
distribution of training programs nationally. Grants shall 
only be awarded for programs certified by the Institute 
of Sustainable Power or an equivalent industry-accepted 
quality-control certification institution, or for new and 
growing programs with a credible path to certification. 
Due consideration shall be given to women, underrep-
resented minorities, and persons with disabilities. 
(d) REPORT.—The Secretary shall make public, via 
the website of the Department or upon request, informa-
tion on the name and institution for all grants awarded 
under this section, including a brief description of the 
project as well as the grant award amount. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for car-
rying out this section $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2008 through 2012.
158 
SEC. 4306. DAYLIGHTING SYSTEMS AND DIRECT SOLAR 
LIGHT PIPE TECHNOLOGY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a program of research and development to provide assist-
ance in the demonstration and commercial application of 
direct solar renewable energy sources to provide alter-
natives to traditional power generation for lighting and il-
lumination, including light pipe technology, and to pro-
mote greater energy conservation and improved efficiency. 
All direct solar renewable energy devices supported under 
this program shall have the capability to provide measur-
able data on the amount of kilowatt-hours saved over the 
traditionally powered light sources they have replaced. 
(b) REPORTING.—The Secretary shall transmit to 
Congress an annual report assessing the measurable data 
derived from each project in the direct solar renewable en-
ergy sources program and the energy savings resulting 
from its use. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘direct solar renewable energy’’ 
means energy from a device that converts sunlight 
into useable light within a building, tunnel, or other 
enclosed structure, replacing artificial light gen-
erated by a light fixture and doing so without the 
conversion of the sunlight into another form of en-
ergy; and
159 
(2) the term ‘‘light pipe’’ means a device de-
signed to transport visible solar radiation from its 
collection point to the interior of a building while ex-
cluding interior heat gain in the nonheating season. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for car-
rying out this section $3,500,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2008 through 2012. 
SEC. 4307. SOLAR AIR CONDITIONING RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a research, development, and demonstration program to 
promote less costly and more reliable decentralized distrib-
uted solar-powered air conditioning for individuals and 
businesses. 
(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Grants made avail-
able under this section may be used to support the fol-
lowing activities: 
(1) Advancing solar thermal collectors, includ-
ing concentrating solar thermal and electric systems, 
flat plate and evacuated tube collector performance. 
(2) Achieving technical and economic integra-
tion of solar-powered distributed air-conditioning 
systems with existing hot water and storage systems 
for residential applications.