I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2407
To amend the Public Buildings Act of 1959 to direct the Administrator
of General Services to provide for the procurement of photovoltaic solar
electric systems for use in public buildings, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 28, 2001
Mr. OBERSTAR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To amend the Public Buildings Act of 1959 to direct the
Administrator of General Services to provide for the pro-
curement of photovoltaic solar electric systems for use
in public buildings, 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 ‘‘Federal Photovoltaic
Utilization Act’’.
SEC. 2. USE OF PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY IN PUBLIC BUILD-
INGS.
The Public Buildings Act of 1959 (40 U.S.C. 601
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 22. USE OF PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY IN PUBLIC
BUILDINGS.
‘‘(a) PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY COMMERCIALIZATION
PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may es-
tablish a photovoltaic energy commercialization pro-
gram for the procurement and installation of photo-
voltaic solar electric systems for electric production
in new and existing public buildings.
‘‘(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program
shall be to accomplish the following:
‘‘(A) To accelerate the growth of a com-
mercially viable photovoltaic industry in order
to make this energy system available to the gen-
eral public as an option which can reduce the
national consumption of fossil fuel.
‘‘(B) To reduce the fossil fuel consumption
and costs of the Federal Government.
‘‘(C) To attain the goal of 20,000 solar
systems in public buildings contained in the
Federal Government’s Million Solar Roof Initia-
tive of 1997.
‘‘(D) To stimulate the general use within
the Federal Government of life-cycle costing
and innovative procurement methods.
‘‘(E) To develop program performance
data to support policy decisions on future incen-
tive programs with respect to energy.
‘‘(3) ACQUISITION
OF
PHOTOVOLTAIC
SOLAR
ELECTRIC SYSTEMS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The program shall
provide for the acquisition of photovoltaic solar
electric systems and associated storage capa-
bility for use in public buildings.
‘‘(B) ACQUISITION LEVELS.—The acquisi-
tion of photovoltaic electric systems shall be at
a level substantial enough to allow use of low-
cost production techniques with at least 150
megawatts (peak) cumulative acquired during
the 5 years of the program.
‘‘(4) 
ADMINISTRATION.—The 
Administrator
shall administer the program and shall—
‘‘(A) prescribe such rules and regulations
as may be appropriate to monitor and assess
the performance and operation of photovoltaic
solar electric systems installed pursuant to this
subsection;
‘‘(B) develop innovative procurement strat-
egies for the acquisition of such systems; and
‘‘(C) transmit to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and to the Committee on Envi-
ronment and Public Works of the Senate an an-
nual report on the results of the program.
‘‘(b) PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS EVALUATION PRO-
GRAM.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days
after the date of enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator and the Secretary of Energy shall jointly
establish a photovoltaic solar energy systems evalua-
tion program to evaluate such photovoltaic solar en-
ergy systems as are required in public buildings.
‘‘(2) PROGRAM REQUIREMENT.—In evaluating
photovoltaic solar energy systems under the pro-
gram, the Administrator shall ensure that such sys-
tems reflect the most advanced technology.
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
‘‘(1) PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY COMMERCIALIZA-
TION PROGRAM.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out subsection (a) $210,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006. Such sums
shall remain available until expended.
‘‘(2) PHOTOVOLTAIC
SYSTEMS
EVALUATION
PROGRAM.—There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out subsection (b) $52,700,000 for each of
fiscal years 2002 through 2006. Such sums shall re-
main available until expended.’’.
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