42 U.S.C. § 17172 — Solar energy curriculum development and certification grants

(a) Establishment: The Secretary must set up, inside the Office of Solar Energy Technologies, a competitive grant program to build and strengthen solar workforce training and internship programs covering installation, operation, and maintenance of solar products. The goal is to make sure there are enough well-trained workers to support the growing solar industry. (b) Authorized activities: Grant money can support: (1) building a solar curriculum fit for local educational, business, and environmental conditions, including for community colleges; (2) certification programs for solar installers, instructors, and training programs; (3) internships giving students hands-on commercial experience; (4) work needed to get training programs and facilities certified by an industry-accepted quality-control body; (5) adding solar-specific lessons into existing trade training and internship programs; (6) buying equipment needed for these activities; and (7) supporting programs that give guidance and updates to solar curriculum instructors. (c) Administration of grants: Grants can run for up to 3 years. The Secretary must spread training programs geographically across the country. Grants can only go to programs already certified by an industry-accepted quality-control body, or to new or growing programs with a credible path toward certification. The Secretary must give due consideration to women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities. (d) Report: The Secretary must make public — on the Department's website or on request — the name, institution, brief project description, and award amount for every grant given under this section. (e) Authorization of appropriations: Congress authorized $10,000,000 a year for the Secretary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.