---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17172"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17172"
heading: "Solar energy curriculum development and certification grants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17172"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter V — Accelerated Research and Development"
  - "Part A — Solar Energy"
---

# §17172. Solar energy curriculum development and certification grants

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall establish in the Office of Solar Energy Technologies a competitive grant [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) to create and strengthen solar industry workforce training and internship [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) in installation, operation, and maintenance of solar energy products. The goal of this [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) is to ensure a supply of well-trained individuals to support the expansion of the solar energy industry.
- (b) **Authorized activities—** Grant funds may be used to support the following activities:
  - (1) Creation and development of a solar energy curriculum appropriate for the local educational, entrepreneurial, and environmental conditions, including curriculum for community colleges.
  - (2) Support of certification [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) for individual solar energy system installers, instructors, and training [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5).
  - (3) Internship [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) that provide hands-on participation by students in commercial applications.
  - (4) Activities required to obtain certification of training [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) and facilities by an industry-accepted quality-control certification [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5).
  - (5) Incorporation of solar-specific learning modules into traditional occupational training and internship [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) for [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7)-related trades.
  - (6) The purchase of equipment necessary to carry out activities under this section.
  - (7) Support of [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) that provide guidance and updates to solar energy curriculum instructors.
- (c) **Administration of grants—** Grants may be awarded under this section for up to 3 years. The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall award grants to ensure sufficient geographic distribution of training [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) nationally. Grants shall only be awarded for [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) certified by an industry-accepted quality-control certification institution, or for new and growing [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) with a credible path to certification. Due consideration shall be given to women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities.
- (d) **Report—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall make public, on the website of the [Department](/usc/42/17001.md?p=1) or upon request, information on the name and institution for all grants awarded under this section, including a brief description of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) as well as the grant award amount.
- (e) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) for carrying out this section $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 604, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1675.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.