§16191 Energy Efficiency

Summary

The Secretary must run research, development, demonstration, and commercial programs to make energy use cheaper, cleaner, and safer. These programs must work to make cars, buildings, and factories use less energy; cut U.S. demand for energy (especially from other countries); lower energy costs and make the economy more competitive; improve energy security; and reduce environmental harm. Work covered includes new vehicle technologies (like hybrid and electric systems, plug-in hybrids, better engines, lighter and more aerodynamic parts, whole-vehicle design, and advanced drivetrains), better building designs and retrofits with on-site renewables, more efficient industrial processes, advanced controls for electric motors, and improved appliances and heating/cooling for cold climates (including combined heat and power and more use of renewable fuels). Congress authorized $783,000,000 for 2007, $865,000,000 for 2008, and $952,000,000 for 2009. Specific sums include $50,000,000 per year (2007–2009) and $7,000,000 per year (2007–2009) for certain activities, vehicle work funding of $200,000,000 (2007), $270,000,000 (2008), and $310,000,000 (2009), $2,000,000 for motor-control work in 2007 and 2008, and $50,000,000 per year for 2010–2013 for a named program. These funds may not be used to make or carry out energy efficiency regulations, to fund the federal weatherization program, to pay for State energy conservation plans, or to pay for Federal energy management measures.