Title: Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act
This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish an Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies to manage a network of Regional Energy Innovation and Development Institutes (REIDIs) that accelerate clean energy innovation in the post-research stage. The term REIDIs means partnerships between governments, academic institutions, businesses, DOE national laboratories, and other clean energy entities that advance the development of early-stage innovations and support after proof concept to help clean energy innovations reach viability for commercial demonstration and deployment.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7237 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7237

 To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an Office of Advanced 
   Clean Energy Technologies and manage a network of Regional Energy 
       Innovation and Development Institutes to advance regional 
                      decarbonization strategies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 2020

 Ms. Bonamici introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
    Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an Office of Advanced 
   Clean Energy Technologies and manage a network of Regional Energy 
       Innovation and Development Institutes to advance regional 
                      decarbonization strategies.

    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 ``Regional Clean Energy Innovation 
Act''.

SEC. 2. OFFICE OF ADVANCED CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish an 
Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies within the Department to 
manage a network of Regional Energy Innovation and Development 
Institutes (in this Act, referred to as ``REIDIs'') that accelerate 
clean energy innovation in the post-research stage to help projects 
overcome obstacles to deployment and commercialization, connect 
Federally funded research and development with State and regional 
initiatives, and advance decarbonization strategies.
    (b) Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies.--The purpose of 
the Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies shall be to--
            (1) support the creation and development of REIDIs and 
        covered entities by providing incentives to States, regions, 
        academic institutions, Tribes, local governments, and 
        businesses to organize and address a specific targeted clean 
        energy technology and market intersection;
            (2) leverage existing state, local, regional, Tribal, and 
        national initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help 
        facilitate an effective transition to more clean energy 
        technologies, and improve resilience and environmental 
        outcomes, especially for rural and low-income households, 
        communities of color, and Tribal communities;
            (3) analyze and establish region-specific pathways to 
        decarbonization and net-zero emissions and use the REIDIs to 
        advance these goals;
            (4) facilitate development of clean energy technologies 
        from laboratory research stage to market by promoting 
        collaboration and resource sharing among REIDIs;
            (5) provide technical assistance to the REIDIs and verify 
        quality of projects of REIDIs;
            (6) assist States, regions, Tribes, local governments, 
        academic institutions, and businesses in applying for 
        designation as a REIDI;
            (7) share best practices across the REIDIs network;
            (8) support REIDIs in the navigation of regulatory 
        processes;
            (9) disseminate Federal funding to REIDIs and provide 
        support for operating capabilities;
            (10) support REIDIs that address environmental justice and 
        energy justices issues in geographically diverse regions, 
        including efforts to improve public health, resilience, and 
        environmental outcomes for rural and low-income households, 
        communities of color, Tribal communities, and communities that 
        are disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of climate 
        change and greenhouse gas emissions; and
            (11) work with other Federal offices and programs to 
        complement clean energy innovation projects and avoid 
        duplication of efforts.
    (c) Director.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Advanced 
        Clean Energy Technologies shall be appointed by the President, 
        with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall report to 
        the Secretary.
            (2) Background of director.--The Director shall have 
        professional background and experience on clean energy 
        challenges specific to regional energy resources, market needs, 
        and innovation capabilities and have such qualifications to 
        advise the Secretary on, and manage research programs 
        addressing barriers to the development of clean energy 
        technologies.
            (3) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the Director 
        shall include--
                    (A) assessing existing regional capabilities and 
                needs for clean energy technologies;
                    (B) establishing goals for the REIDIs and 
                publicizing the goals to relevant local and State 
                governments, Tribes, academic institutions, and the 
                public and private sectors;
                    (C) identifying cost-sharing arrangements for 
                REIDIs with State, local, and regional partners;
                    (D) reviewing and approving the designation of 
                covered entities as REIDIs and initiatives within the 
                Office, considering an appropriate balance of 
                geographical interests, existing innovation ecosystems, 
                national laboratories, and resources, regional 
                variations in and resilience of energy supply and 
                demand, and capabilities to support job creation;
                    (E) developing funding criteria for REIDIs and 
                assessing the success of the REIDIs through the 
                establishment of technical milestones, including 
                terminating the designation of REIDIs that are not 
                achieving the goals of the Office;
                    (F) establishing and maintaining a staff with 
                sufficient qualifications and expertise to enable the 
                Office to carry out its responsibilities in conjunction 
                with other operations of the Department; and
                    (G) coordinating with other programs and 
                laboratories within the Department and other Federal 
                research agencies to avoid duplication and working 
                together to address dispersed gaps in energy innovation 
                and deployment.
    (d) REIDIs.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall establish a program to 
        designate, fund, and support REIDIs in accordance with this 
        subsection.
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of a REIDIs shall be to--
                    (A) increase and leverage connectivity of existing 
                clean energy research capabilities and needs at the 
                regional level to advance mid-stage and late-stage 
                innovation;
                    (B) support clean energy technology development, 
                with a focus on regional resources to advance early 
                adoption market connections;
                    (C) connect regional market needs and innovators to 
                address regional variation in energy distribution, use, 
                risks, and capabilities;
                    (D) support access to technical resources, 
                modeling, and test beds through the Office of Advanced 
                Clean Energy Technologies and Department National 
                Laboratories;
                    (E) create a regional innovation ecosystem through 
                mentorship, business development, education, and 
                research and development investments;
                    (F) identify regulatory structures that create 
                obstacles for market deployment of clean energy 
                technologies; and
                    (G) design and implement initiatives to stimulate 
                market demand for clean energy technologies that will 
                substantially contribute to regional net-zero pathways.
            (3) Funding.--The Director shall require, as a condition of 
        designation of a REIDI and of funding under this subsection, 
        that each REIDI shall be funded such that not less than 50 
        percent of Funding shall come from sources other than the 
        Federal government.
            (4) Applications.--
                    (A) In general.--To apply for designation as a 
                REIDI, a local, State, or Tribal government in 
                coordination with regional public and private partners 
                shall submit an application to the Secretary containing 
                a description and plan for the activities to be carried 
                out by the REIDI with Federal funds and opportunities 
                for regional cost-sharing. Such application shall 
                include a description--
                            (i) the local or regional partnership that 
                        will be supported by the REIDI, including the 
                        lead partners;
                            (ii) the clean energy sectors that will be 
                        served by the REIDI, and a description of how 
                        such sectors were identified in relation to 
                        regional market needs, and how the activities 
                        of the REIDI will align with State, local, 
                        regional, and Tribal policies and substantially 
                        contribute to regional net-zero pathways;
                            (iii) the potential of the planned REIDI 
                        activities to achieve significant reductions in 
                        carbon emissions at a declining unit cost over 
                        time and increase market competitiveness of the 
                        clean energy technologies;
                            (iv) how the partners in the REIDI plan to 
                        work to support clean energy projects at the 
                        post-research stage to help reach proof of 
                        concept, pilot testing, demonstration, and 
                        commercial readiness to address market need in 
                        deployment of clean energy technologies;
                            (v) demonstrated relationships between 
                        research, job creation, and technology 
                        deployment in the clean energy industry;
                            (vi) coordination with nongovernmental 
                        entities for demonstration of technologies and 
                        research applications;
                            (vii) mechanisms for commercial 
                        demonstration and application of successful 
                        energy technology development projects, 
                        including existing partnerships with commercial 
                        entities;
                            (viii) the services that will be supported 
                        through Federal funds and funding sources for 
                        equal regional cost sharing;
                            (ix) levels of performance with respect to 
                        the purposes described in section 2(a); and
                            (x) such other subjects as the Secretary 
                        may require.
                    (B) Review.--The Secretary shall review 
                applications under this paragraph in consultation with 
                the Director of the Office of Advanced Clean Energy 
                Technologies.
    (e) Reports and Evaluation.--
            (1) Annual report.--As part of the annual budget request 
        submitted for each fiscal year, the Director shall provide to 
        the relevant authorizing and appropriations committees of 
        Congress a report describing projects supported by each REIDI 
        during the previous fiscal year.
            (2) Strategic plan.--Not later than one year after 
        enactment, the Director shall provide to the relevant 
        authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress a roadmap 
        describing the strategic plan that the Office will use to guide 
        the choices of REIDI investments for the following five fiscal 
        years including how they will contribute to regional net-zero 
        pathways. A revised plan shall be submitted at least once every 
        5 years thereafter. Commercial and financial information 
        obtained and considered privileged or confidential and not 
        subject to disclosure, including:
                    (A) Plans for commercialization of technologies 
                developed by the REIDI, business plans, technology-to-
                market plans, market studies, and cost and performance 
                models.
                    (B) Investments provided to a REIDI from third 
                parties.
                    (C) Additional financial support that the partner 
                plans to or has invested into the technology developed 
                under the REIDI or is seeking from third parties.
                    (D) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new 
                products or services resulting from research conducted 
                by the REIDI.
    (f) Authorizations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out this section $150,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2021 
through 2025, which shall include--
            (1) $125,000,000 for grants to REIDIs per year; and
            (2) $25,000,000 for administration of the Office under this 
        section.
    (g) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies.
            (3) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of 
        Advanced Clean Energy Technologies established under subsection 
        (b).
            (4) REIDIs.--The term ``Regional Energy Innovation and 
        Development Institute'' or ``REIDI'' means a partnership 
        between local, State, regional, Tribal governments, academic 
        institutions, businesses, DOE national laboratories, and other 
        clean energy entities that the Director designates under 
        section 2(d) to advance the development of early-stage 
        innovations and support after proof concept to help clean 
        energy innovations reach viability for commercial demonstration 
        and deployment.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
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