§16123 Federal procurement of stationary, portable, and micro fuel cells

Summary

The law tells federal agencies to help bring fuel cell technology into the market and to support its development. Agencies that use electrical power from stationary, portable, or micro devices must lease or buy a stationary, portable, or micro fuel cell by January 1, 2006 if doing so helps them meet their applicable federal energy savings goal. When an agency leases or buys a fuel cell this way, it may count that lease or purchase toward its energy savings target under federal energy rules. The Secretary will pay for, or share the cost of, these leases or purchases with agencies, working with a Task Force and its Technical Advisory Committee. The Secretary can use the General Services Administration or commercial vendors to get cost-effective buys or lease management. An agency may be excused if the Secretary finds no suitably efficient and reliable fuel cell exists, after considering the agency’s needs and an evaluation by the Task Force or its Technical Advisory Committee. Congress authorized these funds: $20,000,000 for FY2006; $50,000,000 for FY2007; $75,000,000 for FY2008; $100,000,000 for FY2009; $100,000,000 for FY2010; and whatever is needed for FY2011 through FY2015.