§ 6276. Domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries
(a)
Purpose
It is the purpose of this section to implement the responsibilities of the United States under chapter VII of the international energy program with respect to development of alternative energy by facilitating the overall abilities of the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries to create new markets.
(b)
Evaluation; report to Congress
(1)
Before the later of—
the Secretary of Commerce shall conduct an evaluation regarding the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries and submit a report of his findings to the Congress.
(2)
Such evaluation shall include—
(A)
an assessment of the technical and commercial status of the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries in domestic and foreign markets;
(c)
Program for enhancing commerce in renewable energy technologies; funding
(1)
On the basis of the evaluation under subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary of Commerce shall, consistent with existing law, establish a program for enhancing commerce in renewable energy technologies and consolidating or coordinating existing activities for such purpose.
(2)
Such program shall provide for—
(A)
the broadening of the participation by the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries in such activities;
(B)
the promotion of the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries on a worldwide basis;
(C)
the participation by the Federal Government and the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries in international standard-setting activities; and
(D)
the establishment of an information program under which—
(i)
technical information about the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries shall be provided to appropriate public and private officials engaged in commerce, and to potential end users, including other industry sectors in foreign countries such as health care, rural development, communications, and refrigeration, and others, and
(d)
Interagency working group
(1)
Establishment
(A)
There shall be established an interagency working group that, in consultation with the representative industry groups and relevant agency heads, shall make recommendations to coordinate the actions and programs of the Federal Government affecting exports of renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services. The interagency working group shall establish a program to inform foreign countries of the benefits of policies that would increase energy efficiency or would allow facilities that use renewable energy to compete effectively with producers of energy from nonrenewable sources.
(B)
There shall be established an Interagency Working Subgroup on Renewable Energy and an Interagency Working Subgroup on Energy Efficiency that shall, in consultation with representative industry groups, nonprofit organizations, and relevant Federal agencies, make recommendations to coordinate the actions and programs of the Federal Government to promote the export of domestic renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services, respectively.
(C)
The Secretary of Energy, or the Secretary’s designee, shall chair the interagency working group and each subgroup established under this paragraph. The Administrator of the Agency for International Development and the Secretary of Commerce, or their designees, shall be members of both subgroups established under this paragraph. The Secretary shall provide staff for carrying out the functions of the interagency working group and each subgroup established under this paragraph. The heads of appropriate agencies may detail such personnel and may furnish such services to such group and subgroups, with or without reimbursement, as may be necessary to carry out their functions.
(2)
Duties of the interagency working subgroups
(A)
The interagency working subgroups established under paragraph (1)(B), through the member agencies of the interagency working group, shall promote the development and application in foreign countries of renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services, respectively, that—
(3)
Training and assistance
The interagency working subgroups shall encourage the member agencies of the interagency working group to—
(A)
provide technical training and education for international development personnel and local users in their own country;
(B)
provide financial and technical assistance to nonprofit institutions that support the marketing and export efforts of domestic companies that provide renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services;
(C)
develop environmentally sustainable renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in foreign countries;
(D)
provide technical assistance and training materials to loan officers of the World Bank, international lending institutions, commercial and energy attaches at embassies of the United States and other appropriate personnel in order to provide information about renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services to foreign governments or other potential project sponsors;
(4)
Study of export promotion practices
The interagency working group shall conduct a study of subsidies, incentives, and policies that foreign countries use to promote exports of their own renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and products. Such study shall also identify foreign trade barriers to the import of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and products produced in the United States. The interagency working group shall report to the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate the results of such study within 18 months after October 24, 1992.
(f)
Functions of interagency working group; plan to increase United States exports of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies
(1)
The interagency working group shall—
(A)
establish, in consultation with representatives of affected industries, a plan to increase United States exports of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, and include in such plan recommended guidelines for agencies that are represented on the working group with respect to the financing of, or other actions they can take within their programs to promote, exports of such renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies;
(B)
develop, in consultation with representatives of affected industries, recommended administrative guidelines for Federal export loan programs to simplify application by firms seeking export assistance for renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies from agencies implementing such programs; and
(2)
The interagency working group shall include a description of the plan established under paragraph (1)(A) in no later than the second report submitted under subsection (e) [1] of this section, and shall include in subsequent reports a description of any modifications to such plan and of the progress in implementing the plan.
(h)
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to implement this part, to remain available until expended.
[1] See References in Text note below.