Sec. 5. Technical assistance and grant program
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The Secretary, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, shall establish a technical assistance and grant program (referred to in this section as the program )— to disseminate information and provide technical assistance directly to eligible entities so the eligible entities can identify, evaluate, plan, and design energy storage systems; and to make grants to eligible entities so that the eligible entities may contract to obtain technical assistance to identify, evaluate, plan, and design energy storage systems. The technical assistance described in paragraph
(1)shall include assistance with 1 or more of the following activities relating to energy storage systems: Identification of opportunities to use energy storage systems. Assessment of technical and economic characteristics. Utility interconnection. Permitting and siting issues. Business planning and financial analysis. Engineering design. The information disseminated under paragraph (1)(A) shall include— information relating to the topics described in paragraph (2), including case studies of successful examples; computer software for assessment, design, and operation and maintenance of energy storage systems; and public databases that track the operation and deployment of existing and planned energy storage systems. Any nonprofit or for-profit entity shall be eligible to receive technical assistance and grants under the program. An eligible entity desiring technical assistance or grants under the program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The Secretary shall seek applications for technical assistance and grants under the program— on a competitive basis; and on a periodic basis, but not less frequently than once every 12 months. In selecting eligible entities for technical assistance and grants under the program, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities with projects that have the greatest potential for— facilitating the use of renewable energy resources; strengthening the reliability and resiliency of energy infrastructure to the impact of extreme weather events, power grid failures, and interruptions in supply of fossil fuels; improving the feasibility of microgrids or islanding, particularly in rural areas, including high energy cost rural areas; minimizing environmental impact, including regulated air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions; and maximizing local job creation. On application by an eligible entity, the Secretary may award grants to the eligible entity to provide funds to cover not more than— 100 percent of the costs of the initial assessment to identify energy storage system opportunities; 75 percent of the cost of feasibility studies to assess the potential for the implementation of energy storage systems; 60 percent of the cost of guidance on overcoming barriers to the implementation of energy storage systems, including financial, contracting, siting, and permitting issues; and 45 percent of the cost of detailed engineering of energy storage systems. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall adopt rules and procedures for carrying out the program. Not later than 120 days after the date of issuance of the rules and procedures for the program, the Secretary shall issue grants under this section. The Secretary shall submit to Congress and make available to the public— not less frequently than once every 2 years, a report describing the performance of the program under this section, including a synthesis and analysis of the information provided in the reports submitted to the Secretary under section 3(c); and on termination of the program under this section, an assessment of the success of, and education provided by, the measures carried out by eligible entities under the program. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $250,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2016 through 2020, to remain available until expended.