Bill > HR1872

This bill authorizes the Director of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science to establish and fund Energy Frontier Research Centers. These centers will receive awards on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to conduct fundamental and use-inspired energy research, aiming to accelerate scientific breakthroughs. The research will focus on needs identified in specific DOE reports, including the "Grand Challenges" report and "From Quanta to the Continuum: Opportunities for Mesoscale Science," as well as the Basic Energy Sciences Basic Research Needs workshop report. These collaborations can involve various types of institutions and private sector entities, but no funding can be used for constructing new buildings or facilities. Awards will be for an initial period of five years, with the possibility of reapplication for a second five-year term, and underperforming centers can be terminated for cause.