Title: Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019
This bill requires the Department of Energy to award grants to assist rural electric cooperatives with identifying, evaluating, and designing energy storage and microgrid projects that rely on renewable energy. (A microgrid is a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources that acts as a single controllable entity and that can connect and disconnect from the grid to operate in grid-connected or island mode.)

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1183 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1183

   To establish an energy storage and microgrid grant and technical 
                          assistance program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 11, 2019

  Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish an energy storage and microgrid grant and technical 
                          assistance program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding Access to Sustainable 
Energy Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a rural electric cooperative; and
                    (B) two or more rural electric cooperatives working 
                together.
            (2) Energy storage.--The term ``energy storage'' means the 
        use of a system, equipment, facility, or technology that--
                    (A) is capable of absorbing energy, storing that 
                energy for a period of time, and dispatching the stored 
                energy; and
                    (B)(i) uses a mechanical, electrochemical, or 
                thermal process to store energy that--
                            (I) was generated at an earlier time for 
                        use at a later time; or
                            (II) was generated from a mechanical 
                        process, and would otherwise be wasted, for 
                        delivery at a later time; or
                    (ii) stores thermal energy for direct use for 
                heating or cooling at a later time in a manner that 
                avoids the need to use electricity at that later time, 
                in the same manner as the storage and use offered by a 
                grid-enabled water heater.
            (3) Island.--The term ``island'', with respect to a 
        distributed generator or energy storage equipment, means that 
        the generator or equipment continues to power a location in the 
        absence of electric power from a primary source.
            (4) Microgrid.--The term ``microgrid'' means an 
        interconnected system of loads and distributed energy 
        resources, including generators and energy storage devices, 
        within clearly defined electrical boundaries that--
                    (A) acts as a single controllable entity with 
                respect to the grid; and
                    (B) can connect and disconnect from the grid to 
                operate in both grid-connected mode and island mode.
            (5) Renewable energy source.--The term ``renewable energy 
        source'' has the meaning given the term in section 609(a) of 
        the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 
        918c(a)).
            (6) Rural electric cooperative.--The term ``rural electric 
        cooperative'' means an electric cooperative (as defined in 
        section 3 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796)) that sells 
        electric energy to persons in rural areas.
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 3. ENERGY STORAGE AND MICROGRID ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program under 
which the Secretary shall--
            (1) provide grants to eligible entities under subsection 
        (c);
            (2) provide technical assistance to eligible entities under 
        subsection (d); and
            (3) disseminate information to eligible entities on--
                    (A) the activities described in subsections (c)(1) 
                and (d); and
                    (B) potential and existing energy storage and 
                microgrid projects.
    (b) Cooperative Agreement.--The Secretary may enter into a 
cooperative agreement with an eligible entity to carry out subsection 
(a).
    (c) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
        eligible entities for identifying, evaluating, and designing 
        energy storage and microgrid projects that rely on energy from 
        renewable energy sources.
            (2) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 
        an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
        such information as the Secretary may require.
            (3) Use of grant.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) shall use the grant--
                            (i) to conduct feasibility studies to 
                        assess the potential for implementation or 
                        improvement of energy storage or microgrid 
                        projects;
                            (ii) to analyze and implement strategies to 
                        overcome barriers to energy storage or 
                        microgrid project implementation, including 
                        financial, contracting, siting, and permitting 
                        barriers;
                            (iii) to conduct detailed engineering of 
                        energy storage or microgrid projects;
                            (iv) to perform a cost-benefit analysis 
                        with respect to an energy storage or microgrid 
                        project; and
                            (v) to plan for both the short- and long-
                        term inclusion of energy storage or microgrid 
                        projects into the future development plans of 
                        the eligible entity; and
                    (B) may use the grant to obtain technical 
                assistance from experts in carrying out the activities 
                described in clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph 
                (A).
            (4) Condition.--As a condition of receiving a grant under 
        paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall--
                    (A) implement a public awareness campaign about the 
                project implemented under the grant in the community in 
                which the eligible entity is located; and
                    (B) submit to the Secretary, and make available to 
                the public, a report that describes--
                            (i) any energy cost savings and 
                        environmental benefits achieved under the 
                        project; and
                            (ii) the results of the project, including 
                        quantitative assessments to the extent 
                        practicable, associated with each activity 
                        described in paragraph (3)(A).
            (5) Cost-share.--Activities under this subsection shall be 
        subject to the cost-sharing requirements of section 988 of the 
        Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352).
    (d) Technical Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out subsection 
        (a)(2) by providing eligible entities with technical assistance 
        relating to--
                    (A) identifying opportunities for energy storage 
                and microgrid projects;
                    (B) understanding the technical and economic 
                characteristics of energy storage or microgrid 
                projects;
                    (C) understanding financing alternatives;
                    (D) permitting and siting issues;
                    (E) obtaining case studies of similar and 
                successful energy storage or microgrid projects;
                    (F) reviewing and obtaining computer software for 
                assessment, design, and operation and maintenance of 
                energy storage or microgrid systems; and
                    (G) understanding and utilizing the reliability and 
                resiliency benefits of energy storage and microgrid 
                projects.
            (2) External contracts.--In carrying out subsection (a)(2), 
        the Secretary may enter into contracts with third-party 
        experts, including engineering, finance, and insurance experts, 
        to provide technical assistance to eligible entities relating 
        to the activities described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of 
        paragraph (1), or other relevant activities, as determined by 
        the Secretary.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2025.
    (b) Administrative Costs.--Not more than 5 percent of the amount 
appropriated under subsection (a) for each fiscal year shall be used 
for administrative expenses.
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