Alternative Energy Research and Development Act

Bill: 109-hr-6203
Sponsor: Rep. Biggert, Judy [R-IL-13]
Introduced: 2006-09-27 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Agricultural extension work
Agriculture and Food
Air conditioning
Alcohol as fuel
Alternative energy sources
Architecture
Authorization
Biodegradation
Building construction
Cellulose
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Cogeneration of electric power and heat
Commercialization
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Corrosion
Curricula
Data banks
Department of Energy
Diesel motor
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric batteries
Electric vehicles
Energy conservation
Energy consumption
Energy efficiency
Energy research
Energy storage
Engineering
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to education
Genetic engineering
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Graduate education
Grants-in-aid
Heating
Higher education
Hydroelectric power
Hydrogen
Infrastructure
Laboratories
Motor vehicle pollution control
Natural gas vehicles
Nitrogen oxides
Ocean energy resources
Petroleum pipelines
Plastics
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications
Solar energy
Sulphur
Technological innovations
Technology transfer
Transportation and Public Works
Water pollution control
Wind power

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: 
Alternative Energy Research and Development Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy to implement a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application (R&D) for: (1) production of motor and other fuels from biomass; (2) technologies to enable practical onboard storage of hydrogen for use as a fuel for light-duty motor vehicles; (3) advanced solar photovoltaic technologies; and (4) advanced wind energy technologies.
 
Instructs the Secretary to continue R&D activities targeting: (1) distributed energy; (2) micro-cogeneration technology; and (3) geothermal energy, hydropower, and ocean energy authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
 
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary to: (1) implement an R&D program for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric drive transportation; and (2) establish a pilot program to provide competitive grants to state governments, local governments and public entities, and metropolitan transportation authorities for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle demonstration projects.
 
Solar Utilization Now Demonstration Act of 2006, or the SUN Act of 2006 - Instructs the Secretary to establish a program of grants to states to demonstrate advanced photovoltaic technology.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a pilot grants program for new builidng construction or renovation to demonstrate innovative energy efficiency technologies.
 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to revise the guidelines for a geographically dispersed network of Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to contribute funds to the National Science Foundation for the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program.
 
Directs the Secretary to arrange for the National Academy of Sciences to study its October 2005 recommendation to establish an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
 
Directs the Secretary to establish R&D programs for commercial application of: (1) coal gasification facilities that convert coal into pipeline quality gaseous fuels (methanation); and (2) materials to be added to alternative biobased fuels and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuels.
 
Directs the Secretary, in making awards for integrated biorefinery demonstration projects, to encourage the commercial application of biomass technologies for biodegradable natural plastics from biomass.

action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Alternative Energy Research and Development Act - (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of Energy to implement a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application (R&D) for: (1) production of motor and other fuels from biomass; (2) technologies to enable practical onboard storage of hydrogen for use as a fuel for light-duty motor vehicles; (3) advanced solar photovoltaic technologies; and (4) advanced wind energy technologies.
 
(Sec. 7) Instructs the Secretary to continue R&D activities targeting: (1) distributed energy; (2) micro-cogeneration technology; and (3) geothermal energy, hydropower, and ocean energy authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
 
(Sec. 8) Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary to: (1) implement an R&D program for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric drive transportation; and (2) establish a pilot program to provide competitive grants to state governments, local governments and public entities, and metropolitan transportation authorities for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle demonstration projects.
 
(Sec. 9) Solar Utilization Now Demonstration Act of 2006, or the SUN Act of 2006 - Instructs the Secretary to establish a program of grants to states to demonstrate advanced photovoltaic technology.
 
(Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to establish a pilot grants program for new building construction or renovation to demonstrate innovative energy efficiency technologies.
 
(Sec. 11) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to revise the guidelines for a geographically dispersed network of Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers.
 
(Sec. 12) Authorizes the Secretary to contribute funds to the National Science Foundation for: (1) the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program; and (2) curriculum development for high performance building design.
 
(Sec. 13) Directs the Secretary to arrange for the National Academy of Sciences to study its October 2005 recommendation to establish an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
 
(Sec. 14) Directs the Secretary to establish R&D programs for: (1) coal gasification facilities that convert coal into pipeline quality gaseous fuels (methanation); (2) materials to be added to alternative biobased fuels and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuels; and (3) portable, low-cost, and accurate methods and technologies for testing of sulfur content in fuel, including Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel and Low Sulfur Diesel.
 
Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop a physical properties data base and standard reference materials for alternative fuels. 
 
(Sec. 16) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: (1) authorize additional appropriations for specified bioenergy programs; and (2) direct the Secretary, in making awards for integrated biorefinery demonstration projects, to encourage commercial application of biomass technologies for a variety of uses, including biodegradable natural plastics from biomass.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2006-09-30
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8011-8015)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8011-8015)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6203.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8011-8018)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Mrs. Biggert moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science.
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: Introduced in House