Sec. 33812. Energy workforce grant program
544 words·~2 min read·
/bill/116/hr/2/eh/section-33812A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment, shall establish and carry out a program to provide grants to eligible businesses to pay the wages of new and existing employees during the time period that such employees are receiving training to work in the renewable energy sector, energy efficiency sector, or grid modernization sector. Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with stakeholders, contractors, and organizations that work to advance existing residential energy efficiency, shall establish guidelines to identify training that is eligible for purposes of the program established pursuant to paragraph (1).
To be eligible to receive a grant under the program established under subsection
(a)or a business or labor management organization that is directly involved with energy efficiency or renewable energy technology, or working on behalf of any such business, shall provide services related to— renewable electric energy generation, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and other renewable electric energy generation technologies; energy efficiency, including energy-efficient lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, air source heat pumps, advanced building materials, insulation and air sealing, and other high-efficiency products and services, including auditing and inspection; grid modernization or energy storage, including smart grid, microgrid and other distributed energy solutions, demand response management, and home energy management technology; or fuel cell and hybrid fuel cell generation. An eligible business with— 20 or fewer employees may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection
(a)to pay up to— 45 percent of an employee’s wages for the duration of the training, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and 90 percent of an employee’s wages for the duration of the training, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business; 21 to 99 employees may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection
(a)to pay up to— 37.5 percent of an employee’s wages for the duration of the training, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and 75 percent of an employee’s wages for the duration of the training, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business; and 100 employees or more may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection
(a)to pay up to— 25 percent of an employee’s wages for the duration of the training, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and 50 percent of an employee’s wages for the duration of the training, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business. In providing grants under the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible businesses that— recruit employees— from the communities that the businesses serve; and that are minorities, women, persons who are or were foster children, persons who are transitioning from fossil energy sector jobs, or veterans; and provide trainees with the opportunity to obtain real-world experience. An eligible business may not receive more than $100,000 under the program established under subsection
(a)per fiscal year. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $70,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.