H.R. 8517: Clean Energy Workforce Act

The Clean Energy Workforce Act aims to enhance career and technical education related to clean and renewable energy. Here’s a breakdown of its key provisions:

Grants for Curriculum Development

The Act authorizes the Secretary of Energy to issue grants to eligible partnerships composed of:

• At least one local educational agency or career and technical education school.
• At least one postsecondary institution.
• Community representatives, including business owners and industry representatives.

These grants are intended to:

• Develop or expand educational programs focused on emerging clean energy careers.
• Ensure the program is accessible to economically disadvantaged students, low-performing students, and students in urban or rural areas.

Application Requirements

Eligible partnerships must submit grant applications that include:

• A description of the partnership and its members' roles.
• Details on the program of study, including secondary and postsecondary components.
• Plans for replication and dissemination of the program to other institutions.
• Confirmed industry needs for jobs in the relevant field.
• Methods to engage students from diverse backgrounds.
• Plans for applied learning coupled with academic education.

Grant Priority and Use of Funds

When awarding grants, priority will be given to programs that:

• Utilize innovative means such as online learning to reach underserved student populations.
• Focus on low-performing and special populations of students.

The funds from grants can be used for:

• Developing new or expanding existing educational programs in clean energy fields.
• Disseminating these programs to other institutions.

Grants for Renewable Energy Facilities

The Act also includes provisions for grants to promote the establishment and improvement of energy-efficient career and technical education facilities that utilize renewable energy practices. The Secretary of Energy can award these grants to eligible entities, which include:

• Local educational agencies.
• Career and technical education schools.
• Postsecondary institutions.
• Consortia of these entities.

Application Requirements for Facilities Grants

To qualify for these grants, eligible entities must apply with plans that include:

• Evaluations of sustainability and energy efficiency of existing facilities.
• Stakeholder involvement in developing plans to meet identified needs.
• Activities for constructing and upgrading facilities to utilize renewable energy.

Peer Review Process

The Secretary is required to form a committee to conduct a peer review of applications, which will consist of:

• Career and technical education administrators experienced in energy-efficient facilities.
• Industry experts in renewable energy.

Funding Authorization

The Act proposes to allocate $100 million to the Secretary of Energy to implement its provisions.

Definitions

The Act also includes definitions for key terms, such as "covered field," which refers to areas like clean energy and climate change mitigation.

Relevant Companies

None found.