Each venture is described in section 6(c). This section also provides a total of $16.8 million in authorizations for the six ventures for each of the fiscal years 1991-1993. These authorizations are in addition to the amounts authorized for on-going programs under section 5.

Section 6(d) authorizes the Secretary under certain circumstances to substitute alternative joint ventures for any of the six specified in the bill. The Committee intends that this authority be used by the Secretary when solicitations under one or more of the paragraphs of subsection (c) does not produce satisfactory proposals under the criteria of subparagraphs (d)(1) (A) to (D). The authority of the subsection can also be used if the Secretary determines that no solicitation under a particular paragraph is likely to produce proposals that can survive the criteria. However, it should be clear that the authority of subsection (d) may not be used to circumvent the requirement that at least six joint ventures be selected for financial assistance. The subsection simply offers the Secretary considerable discretion in designing these six joint ventures to advance the purposes of the Act.

Subsection 6(e) requires the Secretary to recommend to Congress, for possible authorization in fiscal year 1993, at least three additional solicitations of proposals for joint ventures to encourage commercialization of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The Committee believes that the Secretary is likely to find the joint-venture mechanism useful in transferring renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies to the private sector. The Committee also believes that the Secretary, after experience with the joint ventures required under this section, should go through the discipline of developing proposed solicitations of his own and should thereafter seek funding by Congress for the joint ventures envisioned under these solicitations.

To assist in providing an environment attractive to industrial participation in cost-shared commercialization efforts, the Committee has included the provisions of section 5 of the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988 to safeguard proprietary and otherwise commercially sensitive business or technical data contained in proposals or generated as a result of a joint venture.

Section 7. Renewable energy and energy efficiency technology exports

Section 7 requires the Secretary of Energy to review the activities of the Committee on Renewable Energy, Commerce and Trade (CORECT) and requires the CORECT to establish a joint government-industry plan to increase United States exports in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and products. Energy efficiency and renewable energy are treated in a symmetric fashion in this section, which adds a significant new responsibility to CORECT to promote exports of energy efficiency technology.

A total of $12 million is authorized for the activities of CORECT for fiscal years 1991-1993.

Section 8. Renewable energy

This section amends existing law to

Provide for the dissemination of information on the benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology derived from experience with the Federal Energy Management Program of the Department of Energy;

Make reduced energy costs a goal of investments by the Department of Defense in housing;

Authorizing funding of incentives, grants and studies for renewable energy under Overseas Private Investment Corporation loans;

Modify the organic statute of the Committee on Renewable Energy, Commerce, and Trade to further encourage the dissemination of information on renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies to foreign countries.

The Committee is aware that a variety of information exists regarding the applicability of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. In the section, the Committee does not intend to create new programs or require major incremental expenditures of appropriated funds. Rather, the Committee intends that the Department organize and disseminate available information to Federal procurement officials and others concerning the technologies that are available in the short term to meet the energy requirements of the Federal Government and other entities receiving the information.

Section 9. Reports

This section requires an annual report by the Secretary of Energy to Congress on activities under the Act and the publication of a management plan to govern activities of the Secretary under the Act. The management plan will include a strategy for commercializing the results of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology RD&D. The section also requires the Secretary to report annually on renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies that are projected by the Secretary to be cost-effective when converted to products and that could be deployed be Federal agencies.

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of the cost of this measure has been provided by the Congressional Budget Office:

U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, July 24, 1989.

Hon. J. BENNETT JOHNSTON, Jr.,

Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the attached cost estimate for S. 488, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technology Competiveness Act of 1989.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them.

Sincerely,

ROBERT D. REISCHAUER,

Director.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

1. Bill number: S. 488.

2. Bill title: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technology Competitiveness Act of 1989.

3. Bill status: As amended and ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, July 19, 1989.

4. Bill purpose: S. 488 establishes national research and development goals for federal wind, photovoltaics, and solar thermal programs, and authorizes funds for these and other renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. The bill also authorizes funds to enhance current efforts to promote exports of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology. The bill authorizes appropriations totaling $329 million for fiscal year 1991, $341 million for fiscal year 1992, and $349 million for fiscal year 1993. 5. Estimated cost to the Federal Government:

The costs of this bill fall within budget function 270.

Basis of estimate: CBO assumes that all amounts authorized will be appropriated and that spending will occur at historical rates for similar research and development programs. The authorization levels for all years are established in the bill.

6. Estimated cost to State and local governments: None.

7. Estimate comparison: None.

8. Previous CBO estimate: None.

9. Estimate prepared by: Kim Cawley.

9. Estimate approved by: C.G. Nuckols for James L. Blum, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation of the regulatory impact that would be incurred in carrying out S. 488.

The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. The bill contains authorizations for research, development and demonstration programs of the Secretary of Energy and directives to the Secretary with respect to the operation of these programs. Any involvement of private firms and individuals in these research, development and demonstration programs is voluntary.

No personal information would be collected in administering the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy from the bill.

Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 488.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The Committee requested reports on S. 488 from the Departments of Energy, Defense, and Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Management and Budget, the Export-Import Bank, the Agency for International Development, and the National Institute of Standards and Technologies.

The pertinent legislative reports and communications received by the Committee setting forth Executive agency recommendations relating to S. 488 follow:

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES,

Hon. J. BENNETT JOHNSTON,

U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Washington, DC, April 5, 1989.

DEAR SENATOR JOHNSTON: In your letter of March 7, you requested the views of the Export-Import Bank of the United States on S. 488, "The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technology Competitiveness Act of 1989."

In general, Eximbank has no objections to the proposed bill. We note, however, that Section 6(c) calls for a representative of "the Director of the Export-Import Bank" to be a member of the Advisory Subcommittees on Photovoltaic Energy Technology, Wind Energy Technology, Solar Thermal Technology and Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technology Exports.

Please be advised that Eximbank is headed by a Board of Directors and not a single Director. Moreover, under Section 2(b)(1)(c) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, as amended, the Board of Directors is already required to name a Bank officer who shall advise the President of the Bank on ways of promoting nonnuclear renewable energy resources and who shall also act as a liaison between the Bank, the Department of Commerce and other appropriate departments and agencies.

For these reasons, we suggest that the phrase "the Director of the Export-Import Bank" be replaced wherever it appears in S. 488 by the phrase "the Export-Import Bank". It would also be our intention to appoint as the Eximbank representative to the advisory committee established in S. 488 the same officer already named under Section 2(b)(1)(C) of the Eximbank Act.

The Office of Management and Budget advises that there is no objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's programs.

Sincerely,

WILLIAM F. RYAN,

Acting President and Chairman.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12, of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill S. 488, as ordered reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is

printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman):

NATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION POLICY ACT

Public Law 95-619, as Amended

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

TITLE I-GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) SHORT TITLE.-This Act may be cited as the "National Energy Conservation Policy Act".

SEC. 256. DOMESTIC RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY AND RELATED SERVICE INDUSTRIES.

(a) It is the purpose of this section to implement the responsibilities of the United States under chapter VII of the international energy program with respect to development of alternative energy by facilitating the overall abilities of the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries to create new markets.

(b)(1) Before the later of

(A) 6 months after the date of the enactment of this section, and

(B) May 31, 1985,

the Secretary of Commerce shall conduct an evaluation regarding the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries and submit a report of his findings to the Congress. (2) Such evaluation shall include

(A) an assessment of the technical and commercial status of the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries in domestic and foreign markets;

(B) an assessment of the Federal Government's activities affecting commerce in the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries and in consolidating and coordinating such activities within the Federal Government; and

(C) an assessment of the aspects of the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries in which improvements must be made to increase the international commercialization of such industry.

(c)(1) On the basis of the evaluation under subsection (b), the Secretary of Commerce shall, consistent with existing law, establish a program for enhancing commerce in renewable energy technologies and consolidating or coordinating existing activities for such purpose.

(2) Such program shall provide for

(A) the broadening of the participation by the domestic renewable energy industry and related service industries in such activities;