§18793 Energy Auditor Training Grant Program

Summary

Creates a competitive grant program under the State Energy Program to pay for training people to do energy audits of homes and commercial buildings. An eligible State must show it needs help and meet any extra rules the Secretary sets. Covered certifications include the ASHRAE Building Energy Assessment Professional; the Association of Energy Engineers Certified Energy Auditor; the Building Performance Institute Home Energy Professional Energy Auditor; the RESNET Home Energy Rater; any other third-party certification the Department accepts; and any third-party certification the Secretary says is equivalent. The Secretary will decide grant amounts using state population as one factor, consult with the Secretary of Labor, and may give up to $2,000,000 to any one state. Congress authorized $40,000,000 for this program for fiscal years 2022 through 2026. States must apply and include a training plan that describes the curriculum, which covered certification trainees will earn, the expected cost per trainee, a plan to help trainees find jobs, and any other information the Secretary asks for. Grant money can pay training and certification costs delivered by the state or a state‑approved third party, and can pay trainee wages during training, but no more than 10 percent of a state’s grant may be used for those wages.