Bill > HR3041

This bill, titled the "Low-Income Solar Act," aims to establish a program managed by the Secretary of Energy to provide loans and grants for solar energy installations in low-income and underserved areas. The program defines "eligible entities" broadly to include low-income households, government units, Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian community-based organizations, rural communities, and other entities that can deploy solar facilities while maximizing energy savings and have experience with job training or community volunteer-based installations. For loans specifically, private entities can also qualify if they meet similar deployment and job training criteria. The bill also defines terms like "community solar facility," which is a local solar project of 2 megawatts or less that reserves at least 25% of its electricity for low-income subscribers, and "grant-eligible household" as one earning 80% or less of the area median income and owning their home. The Secretary will administer a competitive process to award these funds, prioritizing projects that offer significant savings to low-income households, incorporate job training or community engagement, are safe and high-quality, and are geographically diverse, with a focus on areas with low solar adoption, rural areas, and tribal lands. Funds can be used for solar equipment, installation, job training, deployment support, and administrative expenses, with a limit on administrative costs. The bill authorizes $200 million annually for fiscal years 2016 through 2030 to carry out these provisions.