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. 
(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 power technology, in-
cluding linear concentrator systems, dish/engine
systems, power tower systems, and other 
means; 
(C) solar thermal water heating tech-
nology; 
(D) solar heating and air conditioning 
technologies; 
(E) passive solar design in architecture, in-
cluding both heating and lighting applications; 
and 
(F) related or enabling technologies, in-
cluding thin films, semiconducting materials, 
transparent conductors, optics, and technologies 
that increase durability or decrease cost or 
weight. 
TITLE I—SOLAR TECHNOLOGY 
RESEARCH, 
DEVELOPMENT, 
AND DEMONSTRATION 
SEC. 101. PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct a 
program of research, development, and demonstration for 
solar technology, including— 
(1) photovoltaics and related electronic compo-
nents, including inverters, charge controllers, and 
energy monitors;
(2) solar hot water and solar space heating and 
cooling; 
(3) concentrating solar power, including both 
solar thermal and concentrating solar photovoltaic 
technologies; 
(4) lighting systems that integrate sunlight and 
electrical lighting in complement to each other in 
common lighting fixtures for the purpose of improv-
ing energy efficiency; 
(5) manufacturability of low cost, high-quality 
solar energy systems; 
(6) development of solar technology products 
that can be easily integrated into new and existing 
buildings; 
(7) development of solar technology products 
that are water efficient; 
(8) development of storage technologies that 
can be used to increase the usefulness and value of 
solar technologies; and 
(9) other areas as the Secretary considers ap-
propriate. 
(b) AWARDS.—The Secretary shall provide awards 
under this section to promote a diversity of research, de-
velopment, and demonstration activities for solar tech-
nology on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to—
(1) academic institutions, national laboratories, 
Federally-Funded Research and Development Cen-
ters, Federal research agencies, State research agen-
cies, nonprofit research organizations, industrial en-
tities, or consortia thereof for research, development, 
and demonstration activities; and 
(2) industry-led consortia for research, develop-
ment, and demonstration of advanced techniques for 
manufacturing a variety of solar energy products. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that at least 75 percent of funding for solar tech-
nology research, development, and demonstration activi-
ties conducted by the Department of Energy after fiscal 
year 2014 support a diversity of activities identified by 
and recommended under the Solar Technology Roadmap 
as described in section 102. 
(d) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—As a criteria for pro-
viding awards under this Act, the Secretary shall consider 
areas with high unemployment. 
(e) LIMITATION.—The Department of Energy shall 
provide awards to projects for research, development, and 
demonstration of solar technologies and solar manufac-
turing in the United States.
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, mitigation of ad-
verse environmental impacts, and energy diversifica-
tion. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The Solar Technology Roadmap 
shall— 
(1) identify research, development, and dem-
onstration needs for a diversity of solar technologies 
to address— 
(A) the key solar energy production chal-
lenges of intermittency, transience, storage, and 
scaling, including determining—
(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 
options, including direct current and 
superconducting transmission; and 
(VI) ways to address arbitrage 
over minutes, hours, days, weeks, and 
seasons with respect to the full range 
of project scales; 
(iv) how best to integrate solar tech-
nologies into buildings; and
(v) the technologies used to condition 
solar energy, including inverters, DC/DC 
converters, and battery chargers; 
(B) modeling and simulation; 
(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; 
(G) environmental, safety, and health con-
cerns including reuse, recycling, hazardous ma-
terials disposal, and photovoltaic waste issues; 
(H) the development of solar technology 
products that are water efficient; 
(I) ways to reduce regional disparity in the 
use of solar technologies; and 
(J) other areas identified by the Secretary; 
(2) identify opportunities for coordination with 
partner industries such as those for semiconductors, 
lighting, energy storage, Smart Grid, and wind that 
can benefit from similar advances; 
(3) establish research, development, and dem-
onstration goals with recommended timeframes with 
respect to solar technologies for—
(A) improving performance; 
(B) decreasing cost of electricity generated; 
(C) improving reliability; 
(D) decreasing potential negative environ-
mental impacts and maximizing the environ-
mental benefits of solar technologies; and 
(E) improving the cost effectiveness and 
quality control of domestic manufacturing of 
implements and devices used in the production 
of solar energy; 
(4) identify best practices for Department of 
Energy national laboratories in their collaborations 
with institutions of higher education and private in-
dustry to more efficiently and effectively bring new 
solar technologies to the marketplace; 
(5) include recommendations, as appropriate, to 
guide solar technology research, development, and 
demonstration activities; 
(6) provide recommendations on the necessary 
steps required to strengthen the link between solar 
technology research and the commercialization of 
those technologies into full scale manufacturing, in-
cluding the retooling and reworking of the Nation’s 
existing technological and manufacturing base, as
well as coordinating the national strategy in regions 
where solar technology clusters currently exist; 
(7) provide recommendations to Federal agen-
cies on corresponding strategies to accelerate domes-
tic commercialization of newly developed solar tech-
nologies; and 
(8) outline the various technologies and prac-
tices considered by the Committee and the benefits 
and shortcomings of each, as appropriate. 
(c) PUBLIC INPUT.—The Committee shall release a 
draft Roadmap to the public at least one month prior to 
publication in order to receive input from the public. 
(d) 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. 
(e) CONSULTATION.—The Solar Roadmap Committee 
shall consult with the Department of the Interior, the Na-
tional Park Service, the Department of Defense, and the
General Services Administration on the potential for solar 
demonstration projects on Federal lands. 
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 domestic solar 
technology industry, including manufacturers, 
solar applications developers, and equipment 
suppliers; 
(B) national laboratories; 
(C) academia; 
(D) relevant Federal agencies; 
(E) relevant State and local government 
entities; 
(F) private research institutions; 
(G) minority-serving institutions; and 
(H) 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. 
(4) INDUSTRY
PARTICIPATION.—At least 1⁄3 
and not more than 1⁄2 of the members of the Solar 
Technology Roadmap Committee shall be individuals 
described in paragraph (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.
(6) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.—The Secretary, 
in appointing members to the Committee, shall make 
every effort to ensure that— 
(A) no individual appointed to serve on the 
Committee has a conflict of interest that is rel-
evant to the functions to be performed, unless 
such conflict is promptly and publicly disclosed 
and the Secretary determines that a waiver is 
appropriate; 
(B) the Committee membership is fairly 
balanced as determined by the Secretary to be 
appropriate for the functions to be performed; 
and 
(C) the final report of the Committee will 
be the result of the Committee’s independent 
judgment. 
The Secretary shall require that individuals that are 
appointed or intended to be to appointed to serve on 
the Committee inform the Department of Energy of 
any individual’s conflicts of interest that are relevant 
to the functions to be performed. 
(7) GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION.—The Sec-
retary shall consider individuals that represent di-
verse geographic regions of the United States for 
membership of the Committee.
(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, applications, 
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) REPORTING.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 
the Committee shall submit a report to the Secretary and 
the Congress on its activities over the prior 12-month pe-
riod. 
(e) COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.—A member of 
the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee shall not be 
compensated for service on the Committee, but may be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of sub-
sistence, in accordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 
of title 5, United States Code.
(f) LIMITATION.—The Committee shall provide guid-
ance on technological goals and activities but, consistent 
with requirements for the selection of recipients of funding 
on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis under section 
101(b), shall not recommend or select specific recipients 
of funds. 
(g) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
apply to the Solar Technology Roadmap Committee. 
SEC. 104. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION. 
The Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall review and coordinate Federal interagency ac-
tivities identified in and related to the Solar Technology 
Roadmap as appropriate. 
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 as available. 
(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 3 but not more than 5 solar 
technology projects that generate greater than 30 
megawatts; 
(3) include at least 2 solar thermal technology 
projects, with thermal storage, that generate be-
tween 1 and 3 megawatts continuously for a 24-hour 
period from energy provided entirely by the sun; and 
(4) make awards for projects that— 
(A) are located in geographically dispersed 
regions of the country and are not concentrated 
in any single geographical region of the coun-
try; 
(B) are located and can be replicated in a 
variety of regions and climates; 
(C) demonstrate technologies that address 
intermittency, transience, storage challenges, 
and independent operational capability; 
(D) facilitate identification of optimum 
techniques among competing alternatives; 
(E) include business commercialization 
plans that have the potential for production of 
equipment at high volumes;
(F) improve United States competitiveness 
and lead to development of manufacturing tech-
nology; 
(G) demonstrate positive environmental 
performance through life-cycle analysis; 
(H) provide the greatest potential to re-
duce energy costs, as well as promote accessi-
bility and community implementation of dem-
onstrated technologies, for consumers; 
(I) promote overall electric infrastructure 
reliability and sustainability should grid func-
tions be disrupted or damaged; and 
(J) satisfy other criteria that the Secretary 
considers necessary to carry out the program; 
and 
(5) evaluate the potential to establish large pho-
tovoltaic facilities that produce at least 100 
gigawatts, including an evaluation of the electrical 
grid, current, voltage, and energy storage require-
ments associated with large photovoltaic facilities. 
(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; 
(5) operation for a minimum of 3 years, using 
a monitoring methodology approved by Secretary; 
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. 
(f) 
ORGANIC
PHOTOVOLTAIC
CELL
TECH-
NOLOGIES.—At least 1 demonstration project awarded 
under this section during fiscal year 2011 shall be for the 
demonstration of organic photovoltaic cell technologies. 
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 and the Solar Technology Roadmap Com-
mittee the results of a study that analyzes the perform-
ance of photovoltaic installations in the United States. The 
study shall assess the current performance of photovoltaic 
installations and identify opportunities to improve the en-
ergy productivity of these systems. Such study shall in-
clude— 
(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 technology development and 
technical standards that improve energy produc-
tivity;
(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; 
(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; and 
(6) assessment of current financing models 
available to consumers used to offset high upfront 
costs by accounting for the long term economic bene-
fits of solar energy. 
(b) PUBLIC INPUT.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
interested stakeholders, including affected industry stake-
holders and energy efficiency advocates, have a meaningful 
opportunity to provide comments, data, and other infor-
mation on the scope, contents, and conclusions of the 
study. All forums for the Department to receive this input 
from interested stakeholders shall be announced in the 
Federal Register. 
SEC. 107. REPORT. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall commence a study evalu-
ating potential applications of micro power stations using 
solar power technology in underserved communities lack-
ing in basic electric or traditional power infrastructure, 
and make recommendations to Congress for increasing ac-
cess to and implementation of solar energy technology in 
such underserved communities. 
SEC. 108. 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 
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; 
(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; 
(3) section 605 of the Energy Independence 
and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17173) 
$3,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 
2015; and 
(4) section 606 of the Energy Independence 
and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17174) 
$2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 
2015.
SEC. 109. EXISTING PROGRAMS. 
Except as otherwise specified in this Act, this Act 
shall supersede any duplicative solar research, develop-
ment, and demonstration programs within the Depart-
ment of Energy. 
SEC. 110. 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. 
(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)). 
SEC. 111. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT THEFT. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy 
shall establish a pilot program to make grants for projects 
to protect against solar technology equipment theft, in-
cluding projects for mapping of large-scale solar projects 
and equipment serial number registries. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the establishment of the pilot program under sub-
section (a), the Secretary of Energy shall transmit to the 
Congress a report on the effectiveness of projects sup-
ported under this section, which shall include rec-
ommendations for the continuation or alteration of the 
program under this section or any other appropriate Fed-
eral legislation. 
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— 
(1) technology to increase the efficiency of pho-
tovoltaic device recycling and maximize the recovery