Clean Energy Workforce Act

From the amounts appropriated under section 6 to carry out this section, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to develop or expand programs of study that are focused on emerging careers and jobs in a covered field.

For purposes of this section, an eligible partnership shall include—

(1) at least 1 local educational agency, an area career and technical education school, or an educational service agency;

(2) at least 1 postsecondary institution; and

(3) representatives of the community to be served by the eligible partnership, which shall include business owners, industry representatives that have experience in a covered field, and members of labor organizations as appropriate.

An eligible partnership seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

An application submitted by an eligible partnership seeking such a grant shall include a description of—

(A) the eligible partnership, including the partners and the roles and responsibilities of each partner, and a demonstration of the capacity of each partner to support the program of study to be funded by the grant;

(B) such program of study, which shall include a description of the secondary and postsecondary components;

(C) how the program of study will—

(i) be replicable and disseminated to postsecondary institutions or schools that are not part of or served by the eligible partnership, including postsecondary institutions or schools in urban or rural areas;

(ii) be delivered to students;

(iii) be accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds, including students who are economically disadvantaged, low-performing, and from urban or rural areas; and

(iv) address placement of students in non-traditional fields;

(D) the industry and specific occupation or occupations within a covered field for which the program of study provides preparation for employment and the reason the eligible partnership intends to provide such preparation, including any evidence of a labor market need to prepare students for such industry or occupation;

(E) the students to be served by the program of study;

(F) applied learning that will be incorporated into the program of study and how such learning will incorporate or reinforce academic learning; and

(G) how the eligible partnership proposes to consult or has consulted with a labor organization, labor management partnership, or a sponsor of an apprenticeship program or joint apprenticeship and training program that provides education and training to prepare students for employment in the industry or occupation in subparagraph (D).

In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the peer review committee under section 4, shall give priority to an eligible partnership that demonstrates in an application submitted under subsection (c) that the program of study will—

(1) deliver (such as through the use of online learning or other innovative means) the program of study to students, educators, and instructors at other postsecondary institutions or schools that are not part of or served by the eligible partnership; and

(2) focus on low-performing students and special populations.

A grant awarded to an eligible partnership under this section shall be used for each of the following:

(1) The development and implementation of a new program of study in a covered field, or the expansion of an existing program of study in such field, by the eligible partnership that—

(A) is replicable and able to be disseminated to other postsecondary institutions or schools that are not part of or served by the eligible partnership; and

(B) prepares students for a career in a covered field.

(2) The dissemination of a program of study under paragraph (1) to postsecondary institutions or schools that are not part of or served by the eligible partnership.

From the amounts appropriated under section 6 to carry out this section, the Secretary of Energy shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to promote—

(1) the development of career and technical education facilities that are energy efficient; and

(2) the use of renewable energy practices at such facilities.

An eligible entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

An eligible entity awarded a grant under this section shall use such grant to—

(1) perform an evaluation of the sustainability aspects of the facilities of the eligible entity, which shall include measuring the energy effectiveness of the facilities of such entity and evaluating whether the facilities comply with existing renewable energy standards;

(2) convene stakeholders, including organizations devoted to the promotion and support of renewable energy activities, to develop a plan to address needs identified in such evaluation;

(3) carry out activities related to the construction, operation, and improvement of facilities that promote the use of renewable energy practices;

(4) purchase energy-efficient machinery, technology, or other physical equipment used as an educational tool to deliver career and technical education courses; or

(5) communicate to other eligible entities the lessons and practices learned from activities carried out under paragraphs (1) through (4).

For purposes of this section, an eligible entity means—

(1) a local educational agency;

(2) an area career and technical education school;

(3) an educational service agency;

(4) a postsecondary institution; or

(5) a consortium of any of the entities described in paragraphs (1) through (4).

(1) career and technical education educators and administrators who have experience with energy-efficient facilities and equipment; and

(2) business and industry experts who build and work in renewable energy facilities.

The terms area career and technical education school, educational service agency, non-traditional field, program of study, and special population have the meaning given such terms in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).

The term covered field means the fields of clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate change mitigation, or climate change adaptation.

The term local educational agency means a local educational agency eligible for funding under section 131 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2351).

The term postsecondary institution means a postsecondary institution eligible for funding under section 132 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2352).