§17172 Solar Energy Curriculum Development and Certification Grants

Summary

The Secretary must create a competitive grant program in the Office of Solar Energy Technologies to build and strengthen training and internship programs for installing, operating, and maintaining solar energy products. Grants may pay for seven types of activities, including local solar curricula (including community colleges), certification for installers and instructors, hands-on internships, steps to get training programs certified, adding solar modules to trade programs, buying needed equipment, and support for instructors. Grants can run up to 3 years and must be spread across the country. Only programs already certified by an industry quality-control group or those with a clear path to certification can get grants. The Secretary must consider women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities, and must post or provide each grantee’s name, institution, a short project description, and the award amount. There is $10,000,000 available for each fiscal year 2008 through 2012.