Waste Heat to Wattage Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]
Introduced
Summary
'Waste energy recovery' would be added to the federal list of renewable energy sources under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. The bill defines waste energy recovery as heat or pressure that would otherwise be vented, released, throttled, or discharged from commercial, residential, or industrial processes and that is recovered and used as the sole input to generate electricity, including waste heat-to-power and waste pressure-to-power systems. It expands the statute's enumerated renewable sources and provides a clear definitional basis for recognizing those systems under existing law.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Farms and businesses: waste heat counts
If enacted, this bill would add "waste energy recovery" to the federal list of renewable energy sources under the Farm Bill. It would define waste energy recovery as heat or pressure that would otherwise be vented, released, throttled, or discharged from a commercial, residential, or industrial process and that is recovered and used as the sole input to generate electricity, including waste heat-to-power or waste pressure-to-power systems. The change would let projects and applicants rely on the statutory renewable definition when programs or incentives reference that list. The text does not create new funding, eligibility rules, enforcement, or deadlines.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]
NM • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
IN • R
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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