Sec. 5. Photovoltaic device recycling research, development, and demonstration
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In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall conduct research, development, and demonstration projects, in accordance with section 2(b), to create innovative and practical approaches to increase reuse and recycling of photovoltaic devices. The Secretary shall award grants and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements under subsection
(a)for projects that address— technology to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic device recycling and maximize the recovery of valuable raw materials for use in new products while minimizing the life-cycle environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and water usage; expanded uses for materials from recycled photovoltaic devices; development and demonstration of environmentally responsible alternatives to the use of hazardous materials in photovoltaic devices and the production of such devices; development of methods to separate and remove hazardous materials from photovoltaic devices and to recycle or dispose of those materials in a safe manner; product design and construction to facilitate disassembly and recycling of photovoltaic devices; tools and methods to aid in assessing the environmental impacts of the production of photovoltaic devices and photovoltaic device recycling and disposal; product design and construction and other tools and techniques to extend the life cycle of photovoltaic devices, including methods to promote their safe reuse; strategies to increase consumer acceptance and practice of recycling of photovoltaic devices; and processes to reduce the costs and environmental impact of disposal of toxic materials used in photovoltaic devices. An eligible entity seeking a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application that includes a description of— the project that will be undertaken and the contributions of each participating entity; the applicability of the project to increasing reuse and recycling of photovoltaic devices with the least environmental impacts as measured by life-cycle analyses, and the potential for incorporating the research results into industry practice; and how the project will promote collaboration among scientists and engineers from different disciplines, such as electrical engineering, materials science, and social science. The Secretary shall publish the results of projects supported under this section through— development of best practices or training materials for use in the photovoltaics manufacturing, design, installation, refurbishing, or recycling industries; dissemination at industry conferences; coordination with information dissemination programs relating to recycling of electronic devices in general; demonstration projects; and educational materials for the public produced in conjunction with State, Tribal, and local governments or nonprofit organizations on the problems and solutions related to reuse and recycling of photovoltaic devices. Not later than September 1, 2021, the Secretary shall establish a comprehensive physical property database of materials for use in photovoltaic devices. Such database shall include— identification of materials used in photovoltaic devices; a list of commercially available amounts of these materials and their country of origin; amounts of these materials projected to be available through mining or recycling of photovoltaic and other electronic devices; and a list of other significant uses for each of these materials. Not later than September 1, 2020, the Secretary, working with private industry, shall develop a plan to establish priorities and requirements for the database under this subsection, including the protection of proprietary information, trade secrets, and other confidential business information. The Secretary shall coordinate with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Administrator of the Department of Interior to facilitate the incorporation of the database under this subsection with any existing database for materials involved in electronic manufacturing and recycling.