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151 records in US in 2019
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
This resolution designates October 8, 2019, as National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2019
Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to implement a program to assure the long-term, secure, and sustainable supply of energy critical elements to satisfy the national security, economic well-being, and industrial production needs of the United States. Specifically, the bill promotes collaboration in the program to include opportunities for students and staff at institutions of higher education and international collaboration; requires DOE to develop and update a plan every two years for how it intends to carry out the program; and creates a Critical Materials Information Center to collect, catalogue, disseminate, and archive information that is generated by research and development activities under the program.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2019
Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act of 2019 This bill allows energy tax credits through 2021 for investments in (1) qualified biogas property, or (2) qualified manure resource recovery property. "Qualified biogas property" comprises a system that (1) uses anaerobic digesters or other specified processes to convert biomass into a gas which is at least 52% methane, and (2) captures the gas for use as a fuel. The term includes property that cleans and conditions the gas for use as a fuel. "Qualified manure resource recovery property" comprises a system that uses specified processes to recover the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from a non-treated digestate or animal manure by reducing or separating at least 50% of the nutrients, excluding any reductions during the incineration, storage, composting, or field application of the non-treated digestate or animal manure. The term also includes certain processing equipment. The Department of the Treasury must enter into an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a study of biogas and report to Congress on the study.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2019
Western Area Power Administration Transparency Act This bill directs the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) to establish a pilot project to provide increased transparency for its customers. WAPA must publicly display on its website a database of specific information dating back to FY2008, including rates charged to customers for power and transmission services, listed by power system; the amount of capacity or energy sold by power system; and a detailed accounting of its expenditures and costs by region and for the headquarters office. Additionally, WAPA must annually update the information it provides on the website. The updates must include specified details regarding changes to the information, the reasons for the changes, and the amount of unobligated balances retained. The pilot project shall terminate in seven years.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2019
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, designing, and demonstrating energy storage and microgrid projects that utilize energy from renewable energy sources. (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.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2019
Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative Act This bill authorizes the Appalachian Regional Commission to provide technical assistance and grants to individuals or entities in the Appalachian region for projects and activities (1) to conduct research and analysis regarding the impact of an ethane storage hub in the region, (2) with the potential to significantly contribute to the economic resilience of the area where the project is located, and (3) that will help establish a regional energy hub in the region for natural gas and natural gas liquids.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to identify a portion of federal land within the Durango disposal site that is suitable for conveyance to Colorado to be used as a storage site for residual radioactive materials as part of remediation activities carried out by the state related to properties in the vicinity of the Durango processing site. DOE must ensure that the identified land is (1) approximately 0.25 acres, (2) located in the southwestern corner of the Durango disposal site, and (3) south of and bounded by County Road 212. After DOE offers to convey the identified land to the state, and the state accepts the offer, DOE shall convey to the state all interest of the United States in and to such land. As a condition of such conveyance, DOE must require the state to manage the conveyed land consistent with the requirements of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 relating to the Durango disposal site, including after the use of it has ceased.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
Rare Earth Cooperative 21st Century Manufacturing Act or the RE-Coop 21st Century Manufacturing Act This bill addresses the advancement of domestic refining of rare earth elements and the safe storage of thorium. The Department of Commerce must establish a privately funded, operated, and managed Thorium-Bearing Rare Earth Refinery Cooperative tasked with the creation of a fully integrated domestic rare earth value chain to serve U.S. national security needs and the critical advanced manufacturing industries. The Department of Energy must coordinate with other agencies to procure the issuance of a federal charter for the Thorium Storage, Energy, and Industrial Products Corporation which shall assume liability for and ownership of all thorium and mineralogically actinides and decay products contained within the rare earth element ores utilized by the cooperative.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
This resolution supports the designation of National Clean Energy Week.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
Block All New Oil Exports Act or the BAN Oil Exports Act This bill requires the President to ban the exportation of crude oil and natural gas from the United States. The President may provide an exemption to the ban in specified circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to identify a portion of federal land within the Durango disposal site that is suitable for conveyance to Colorado to be used as a storage site for residual radioactive materials as part of remediation activities carried out by the state related to properties in the vicinity of the Durango processing site. DOE must ensure that the identified land is (1) approximately 0.25 acres, (2) located in the southwestern corner of the Durango disposal site, and (3) south of and bounded by County Road 212. After DOE offers to convey the identified land to the state, and the state accepts the offer, DOE shall convey to the state all interest of the United States in and to such land. As a condition of such conveyance, DOE must require the state to manage the conveyed land consistent with the requirements of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 relating to the Durango disposal site, including after the use of it has ceased.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Promoting American Energy Jobs Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish an Energy Jobs Council to (1) conduct a survey of employers in the energy, energy efficiency, and motor vehicle sectors of the U.S. economy; (2) preform an analysis of the employment figures and demographics in those sectors; and (3) publish a U.S. Energy and Employment Report that is based on the survey and analysis.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Small Refinery Exemption Fairness Act of 2019 This bill revises requirements under the renewable fuel program to adjust the renewable fuel obligation to account for the full volume of gasoline and diesel produced by exempted small refineries of crude oil. The renewable fuel program requires transportation fuel to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuel.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Clean Air, Healthy Kids Act This bill reinstates a variety of rules regarding climate change that were repealed, suspended, delayed, withdrawn, or replaced and prohibits the implementation of certain policies and proposed rules. Specifically, the bill nullifies Executive Order 13783 titled Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth . In addition, the bill nullifies the following rules: the Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guidelines Implementing Regulations rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation; Delay and Suspension of Certain Requirements rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management; the Energy Conservation Program: Definition for General Service Lamps rule issued by the Department of Energy (DOE); and the Adopting Requirements in Emission Guidelines for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills rule issued by the EPA. The bill prohibits agencies from finalizing the following proposed rules: the Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources Review proposed rule issued by the EPA; the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rules for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks proposed rule issued by the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and the Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for General Service Incandescent Lamps proposed determination issued by DOE. Finally, the bill nullifies a rescission of a waiver granted to California to enforce standards, which are more stringent than federal standards, for air pollution emissions from vehicles.
United States · United States Senate · 17 September 2019
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2019
Taxpayer Fairness for Resource Development Act of 2019 This bill addresses royalties related to the development of federal energy resources. Among other things, the bill increases the onshore royalty rates for new oil, gas, and coal leases; increases onshore rental rates for oil and gas leasing; modifies the current onshore oil and gas minimum bid from $2 to $5 and requires it to be adjusted every four years for inflation; and makes revisions to the charter of the Royalty Policy Committee, including to increase to six the number of members who are representatives of academia or the public.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2019
Bonding Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2019 This bill revises bonding requirements for oil and gas development. Specifically, the bill increases the amount of bond that oil and gas developers must provide prior to conducting surface-disturbing activities and requires such amounts to adjust every three years for inflation. The bill also requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to establish uniform standards for all interim and final reclamation plans and not release any bond amounts until the standards have been met by oil and gas developers.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Providing Recovery Opportunities & Mitigating Industry's Shifting Economics (PROMISE) Act This bill addresses providing resources to communities affected by the closure of a federally-owned electric generating station. Among other things, the bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to conduct land reuse studies in connection with the closure of an electric generating station to determine the next best use of the property; provides for a demonstration project to assist dislocated workers; allows Interior to provide annual payments to a state, tribal, or local government for loss of revenues due to the closing of an electric generating facility; and establishes a Significantly Impacted Federal Community Economic Adjustment Program to assist substantially and seriously affected communities, businesses, and workers from the effects of energy infrastructure closures.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Building Efficiently Act of 2019 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the new energy efficient home tax credit to allow, in lieu of the existing credit, a credit for 3.3% of the cost of constructing a new energy efficient home that is a qualified energy efficient residential rental property. An energy efficient residential rental property must be certified as being constructed, reconstructed, or retrofitted under a plan designed to reduce energy and power consumption of the building by at least 40% compared to (1) the baseline annual energy and power consumption of the building in the case of a retrofit made to an existing building, or (2) a reference building which meets the minimum requirements of the International Energy Conservation Code 2018 in any other case. The bill also (1) extends through 2020 the energy efficient commercial buildings deduction; and (2) eliminates the basis reduction requirements for certain low-income housing properties receiving the energy efficient home credit, the energy efficient commercial building deduction, or the credit for investments in energy property.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2019
American Energy First Act This bill addresses offshore and onshore oil and gas resources, and the use of renewable energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and other federal lands. Among other things, the bill allows states with an established permitting and regulatory program to manage certain federal permitting and regulatory responsibilities for oil and gas development on federal lands within their borders; limits the President's authority to prohibit oil and gas leasing on the OCS; establishes a revenue sharing framework to distribute revenues collected from oil and gas leasing on the OCS to certain states (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alaska); provides a mechanism for states to receive their entitled percentage of sales, bonuses, royalties, and rentals for all public land or deposits located in the state; requires the Department of the Interior to establish certain federal land as geothermal and wind energy leasing priority areas; and limits the authority of Interior to declare a moratorium on the leasing of federal lands for oil and gas activities unless such moratorium is authorized by Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2019
Low-Income Solar Energy Act This bill expands access to solar energy for low-income households, including by expanding the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program, and directing the Department of Energy to establish a solar financing program.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2019
Low-Income Solar Energy Act This bill expands access to solar energy for low-income households, including by expanding the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program, and directing the Department of Energy to establish a solar financing program.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 10 September 2019
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2019
Department of Defense Ethics and Anti-corruption Act of 2019 This bill addresses the conduct of Department of Defense (DOD) officials regarding relationships with military contractors. With respect to certain DOD officials involved in contracting, the bill increases the following: (1) the period during which an official leaving DOD and seeking compensation from a contractor must obtain an ethics opinion concerning post-employment restrictions, (2) the length of time such requests must be retained in a central repository, and (3) the frequency of Inspector General reviews of providing and retaining opinions. Each procurement contract of a value exceeding $10 million must require the contractor to annually report information (including concerning lobbying activities) about former officials and military officers who received compensation within four years after leaving service. Such a contract shall include a clause prohibiting the contractor from receiving the compensation. Contracts with contractors that received an average of more than $1 billion in revenue in the previous three years from DOD or the Department of Energy (related to the U.S. nuclear program) shall prohibit the employment or payment of certain DOD officials within four years of leaving DOD service. In addition, the bill includes restrictions and conditions concerning: lobbying by former officials and officers; stock ownership and trading; employment that is subject to the emoluments clause of the Constitution; work by certain senior officials for a foreign entity (including work that conflicts with U.S. national security interests); financial disclosure by large prospective contractors; and public disclosure of information regarding the identification of general or flag officers and their finances and conduct.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2019
Sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 205) to amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to permanently extend the moratorium on leasing in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1146) to amend Public Law 115-97 (commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) to repeal the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas program, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1941) to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior including in any leasing program certain planning areas.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2019
American Energy Opportunity Act of 2019 This bill establishes a process for expediting and standardizing the permitting process for certain distributed energy systems. The bill defines such systems as equipment or materials installed in, on, or near a building to support onsite or local energy use, such as solar energy, batteries, and charging systems for electrical vehicles. Specifically, the Department of Energy (DOE) must establish or designate a Distributed Energy Opportunity Board to carry out a voluntary program to (1) expedite the process for local permitting and inspection of qualifying distributed energy systems, and (2) facilitate the certification of distributed energy system installers. In addition, DOE must recognize and certify communities as Distributed Energy Opportunity Communities if they adopt and implement a permit-to-build protocol that is established by the board. DOE may award grants to encourage communities to adopt the protocol and standardized inspection processes established by the board.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2019
This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule that repealed the Clean Power Plan, which established emission guidelines for states to follow in limiting carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants; finalized the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which replaced the Clean Power Plan with emission guidelines for states to use when developing plans to limit carbon dioxide; and revised requirements that govern the process under which the EPA and states develop emission standards for pollutants emitted by existing stationary sources.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2019
Clean Industrial Technology Act of 2019 or the CIT Act of 2019 This bill provides incentives for the nonpower industrial sector to reduce nonwater greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish an industrial emissions reduction technology research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program. Under the program, DOE must award grants and fund demonstration projects to develop and evaluate technologies designed to increase (1) the industrial competitiveness of the United States, and (2) the emission reductions of nonpower industrial sectors. DOE may also enter into contracts and cooperative agreements for these purposes. In addition, DOE must establish an Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee to provide advice to DOE and the Office of Science and Technology Policy about the program. Finally, DOE must establish a technical assistance program to promote the commercial application of emission reduction technologies in nonpower industrial sectors.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2019
Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2019 This bill allows for the reporting of certain positive consumer-credit information to consumer reporting agencies. Specifically, a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development may report information related to a consumer's performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a dwelling or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. However, information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications service may be reported only to the extent that the information relates to payment by the consumer for such service or other terms of the provision of that service. Furthermore, an energy-utility firm may not report a consumer's outstanding balance as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of that plan. Specified provisions that establish civil liability with respect to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies shall not apply to any violation of the bill. The Government Accountability Office must report on the consumer impact of such reporting.
United States · United States Congress · 13 August 2019
Renewable Electricity Tax Credit Equalization Act This bill extends the energy tax credit for investment in certain qualified investment credit facilities and the credit for production of electricity from certain renewable resources (e.g., wind, biomass, solar, trash, and hydropower facilities).
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2019
Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2019 This bill requires an electric utility to provide interconnection and net billing service for community solar facilities. (A community solar facility is a solar photovoltaic system that allocates electricity to multiple individual electric consumers of an electric utility and has a nameplate rating of 2 megawatts or less.) Specifically, the bill requires each state regulatory authority and nonregulated electric utility to commence consideration of and determine ratemaking standards that allow community solar facilities to be connected to the power distribution system. The bill does not apply in the case of any electric utility in a state if (1) the state has implemented the standard in accordance with the bill (or a comparable one) for the electric utility, (2) the state regulatory authority or the relevant nonregulated electric utility has conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the standard (or a comparable one) for the electric utility, or (3) the state legislature has voted on the implementation of the standard (or a comparable one) for the electric utility.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2019
America Wins Act This bill imposes an excise tax on the carbon dioxide content of coal, petroleum and petroleum products, and natural gas sold by the manufacturer, producer, or importer and requires the revenues to be used for infrastructure, an energy refund program to provide payments to certain low-income households, and other purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2019
Green Jobs and Opportunity Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to address current and future workforce shortages within the clean energy technology sector. Labor must monitor trends and shortages within the sector, recommend ways to prepare the workforce to meet the demands of a clean energy economy, and provide grants to establish training programs for occupations or fields of work with such shortages. Labor must also establish a National Advisory Committee on the Clean Energy Technology Workforce to provide advice on preparing the workforce to transition to a clean energy economy.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 1 August 2019
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
Conservation Of America's Shoreline Terrain and Aquatic Life Act or the COASTAL Act This bill addresses the distribution of revenues collected from oil and gas leasing on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the Alaska OCS. Specifically, the bill increases the revenue Gulf states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) receive from certain federal oil and leases in the Gulf of Mexico and eliminates the revenue sharing cap; exempts from sequestration payments of such revenue to Gulf states; and allocates revenue from energy development in the Alaska OCS to Alaska for specified purposes, including mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
CHP Support Act of 2019 This bill redesignates the Department of Energy's Clean Energy Application Centers as the CHP Technical Assistance Partnership Program and reauthorizes the program through FY2024. The program (1) encourages deployment of combined heat and power, heat to power, and efficient district energy technologies; and (2) provides project specific support to building and industrial professionals through economic and engineering assessments and advisory activities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
Clean Energy Grid Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to address the integration of clean distributed energy into electric grids. Clean distributed energy means energy (e.g., solar and wind energy) that is generated on or near customer sites and interconnected with the electric grid. Specifically, DOE must study the status of integration of clean distributed energy into electric grids, identify issues requiring additional research or regulatory development, make grants for research proposals that address technical barriers identified in the study, establish and distribute to states best practices to encourage the integration of clean distributed energy into the grid, and convene a working group of stakeholders to address regulatory barriers to deployment of intelligent grid integration of clean distributed energy technologies. DOE may make grants to implement integration demonstration projects.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
Wind Workforce Modernization and Training Act of 2019 This bill provides incentives for programs that prepare students for careers in the wind energy industry. The Department of Energy (DOE) must establish a program to award grants to community colleges or technical schools that offer wind training programs. Such colleges and schools must use the grants for large pieces of wind component equipment (e.g., towers or blades) for use in training wind technician students. DOE must also establish a program to prepare veterans for careers in the wind energy industry that shall be modeled off of the Solar Ready Vets pilot program. In addition, DOE must convene a task force to study the wind technician workforce.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a comprehensive nationwide program to improve education and training for jobs in energy-related industries, with emphasis on increasing the number of skilled individuals from underrepresented groups trained to work in those jobs. DOE must provide grants to certain businesses or labor management organizations to pay the wages of employees when they are receiving training for jobs in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, or grid modernization sectors.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
Nuclear Energy Renewal Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct research relating to the development of innovative nuclear reactor technologies that may offer improved safety, functionality, and affordability by enhancing existing nuclear technologies. Specifically, the bill expands the light water reactor sustainability program, which is focused on improving the economics, reliability, and safety of nuclear plants in order to maximize long-term operations; directs DOE to work in coordination with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop certification and licensing criteria for advanced nuclear facilities; and establishes specified programs of nuclear energy research, demonstration, and development.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
This bill makes state energy financing institutions eligible for the Title XVII Innovative Energy Loan Guarantee Program. Such an institution's projects are exempted from the program's requirement to employ new or significantly improved technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
Community Energy Savings Program Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a grant program for states and Indian tribes to provide loans to consumers and communities that want to implement cost-effective energy efficiency measures.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
Next Generation Electric Systems Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a grant program for eligible partnerships to develop and implement projects to modernize the electric grid, including (1) projects to improve observability, stability, advanced controls, and prediction of system performance on the distribution system; and (2) projects relating to transmission system interconnections.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
Sustainable Agriculture Research Act This bill revises the goals of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA). Specifically, the bill expands the goals to require AGARDA to enhance the role of agriculture in innovative voluntary resilience solutions in the United States through the development of agricultural technologies that address (1) the impact of extreme weather on crop production, (2) the expansion of the potential for long-term carbon storage through agriculture, (3) increased economic and practical feasibility for renewable and sustainable energy on farms and in the agriculture industry, and (4) increased adoption of voluntary conservation practices that sequester carbon and build on-farm climate resilience.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill revises and reauthorizes through FY2024 the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The bill expands the goals of ARPA-E to include the development of energy technologies that (1) provide transformative solutions to improve the management, clean-up, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel; and (2) improve the resilience, reliability, and security of infrastructure to produce, deliver, and store energy. The bill also authorizes DOE to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate how well ARPA-E is achieving its goals and missions.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
Smart Building Acceleration Act of 2019 This bill assists the building sector in adopting smart building technology that increases energy efficiency. Smart buildings are buildings with energy systems that (1) are flexible and automated; (2) have extensive operational monitoring and communication connectivity, allowing remote monitoring and analysis of building functions; (3) take a systems-based approach in integrating the overall building operations for control of energy generation, consumption, and storage; (4) communicate with utilities and other third-party commercial entities, if appropriate; (5) protect the health and safety of occupants and workers; and (6) are cybersecure. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a Federal Smart Building Program. Under the program, DOE must implement smart building technology in certain federal buildings and demonstrate the costs and benefits of smart buildings. DOE may expand awards made under the Federal Energy Management Program and the Better Building Challenge to recognize specific federal agency achievements in accelerating the adoption of smart building technologies. In addition, DOE must conduct (1) a survey of privately owned smart buildings throughout the United States and evaluate their costs and benefits, and (2) research and development on barriers to the integration of advanced building technologies. As part of the Better Building Challenge, DOE must demonstrate policies and approaches that accelerate the transition to smart buildings.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
21st Century Energy Workforce Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board to develop a strategy for the support and development of a skilled energy workforce. Based on the board's recommendations, DOE shall establish a clearinghouse to: maintain and update information and resources on training and workforce development programs for energy- and manufacturing-related jobs; and act as a resource and provide guidance for secondary schools, institutions of higher education (including community colleges and minority-serving institutions), and workforce development, labor management, and industry organizations that would like to develop and implement energy- and manufacturing-related training programs. DOE shall also establish a pilot program to award grants to eligible entities for job training programs that lead to an industry-recognized credential.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
Grid Modernization Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a program to modernize the electric grid, including by (1) developing standards to compare the storage capacity, cycle length, capabilities, and reliability of different types of electricity storage; (2) promoting the development of micro-grid systems; (3) facilitating a collaborative process to develop model grid architecture; and (4) ensuring a reliable, resilient, affordable, safe, and secure electric grid. (A micro-grid system means a stand-alone electrical system that uses grid-scale energy storage.) DOE must also establish a grant program to carry out projects related to the modernization of the electric grid, including the application of technologies to improve observability, advanced controls, and prediction of system performance on the distribution system.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
Energy Cybersecurity Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop advanced cybersecurity applications and technologies for the energy sector. DOE shall: advance the security of field devices and third-party control systems; leverage electric grid architecture as a means to assess risks to the energy sector, including by implementing an all-hazards approach to communications infrastructure, control systems architecture, and power systems architecture; perform pilot demonstration projects with the energy sector to gain experience with new technologies; and develop workforce development curricula for energy sector-related cybersecurity. DOE may also implement within the energy sector cybertesting and cyberresilience programs that target: DOE emergency response capabilities, cooperation with the intelligence communities for energy sector-related threat collection and analysis, enhancing the tools of DOE and the Electricity Sector Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ES-ISAC) for monitoring the status of the energy sector, expanding industry participation in ES-ISAC, and technical assistance to small electric utilities to assess cybermaturity posture. DOE must develop an advanced energy security program that secures diverse energy networks in order to increase the functional preservation of the electric grid operations or natural gas and oil operations in the face of natural and human-made threats and hazards, including electric magnetic pulse and geomagnetic disturbances. DOE shall study alternative management structures and funding mechanisms to expand industry membership and participation in ES-ISAC.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
Preventing Nuclear Proliferation in Saudi Arabia Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the Export-Import Bank from financing Saudi Arabia's importation of nuclear technology, equipment, fuel, materials, or other goods unless Saudi Arabia (1) puts a nuclear cooperation agreement into effect, (2) signs and implements an Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and (3) commits to not possess nuclear facilities within its territory or engage in nuclear enrichment or reprocessing.