---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 690a"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "690a"
heading: "Purposes"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/690a"
units:
  - "Chapter 14B — Small Business Investment Program"
  - "Subchapter III — Investment Division Programs"
  - "Part C — Renewable Fuel Capital Investment Pilot Program"
---

# §690a. Purposes


The purposes of the Renewable Fuel Capital Investment Program established under this part are—

- (1) to promote the research, development, manufacture, production, and bringing to market of goods, products, or services that generate or support the production of [renewable energy](/usc/15/690.md?p=3) by encouraging [venture capital](/usc/15/690.md?p=6) investments in [smaller enterprises](/usc/15/662.md?p=12) primarily engaged[^1] such activities; and
- (2) to establish a [venture capital](/usc/15/690.md?p=6) program, with the mission of addressing the unmet equity investment needs of [smaller enterprises](/usc/15/662.md?p=12) engaged in researching, developing, manufacturing, producing, and bringing to market goods, products, or services that generate or support the production of [renewable energy](/usc/15/690.md?p=3), to be administered by the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2)—
  - (A) to enter into [participation agreements](/usc/15/689.md?p=6) with [Renewable Fuel Capital Investment companies](/usc/15/690.md?p=4);
  - (B) to guarantee debentures of [Renewable Fuel Capital Investment companies](/usc/15/690.md?p=4) to enable each such [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) to make [venture capital](/usc/15/690.md?p=6) investments in [smaller enterprises](/usc/15/662.md?p=12) engaged in the research, development, manufacture, production, and bringing to market of goods, products, or services that generate or support the production of [renewable energy](/usc/15/690.md?p=3); and
  - (C) to make grants to Renewable Fuel Investment Capital [companies](/usc/15/662.md?p=3), and to other entities, for the purpose of providing [operational assistance](/usc/15/689.md?p=5) to [smaller enterprises](/usc/15/662.md?p=12) financed, or expected to be financed, by such [companies](/usc/15/662.md?p=3).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be followed by “in”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–699, title III, § 382, as added Pub. L. 110–140, title XII, § 1207, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1775.)