Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 92 Part 2.djvu/1233

 PUBLIC LAW 95-590—NOV. 4, 1978

92 STAT. 2513

Public Law 95-590 95th Congress An Act To provide for an accelerated program of research, development, and demonstration of solar photovoltaic energy technologies leading to early competitive commercial applicability of such technologies to be carried out by the Department of Energy, with the support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Bureau of Standards, the General Services Administration, and other Federal agencies.

Be it enacted by the Senate and Hoiise of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978". FINDINGS AND POLICY

SEC. 2. (a) The Congress hereby finds that— (1) the United States of America is faced with a finite and diminishing resource base of native fossil fuels, and as a consequence must develop as quickly as possible a diversified, pluralistic national energy capability and posture; (2) the current imbalance between supply and demand for fuels and energy in the United States is likely to grow for many years; (3) the early demonstration of the feasibility of using solar photovoltaic energy systems for the generation of electricity could help to relieve the demand on existing fuel and energy supplies; (4) the national security and economic well-being of the United States is endangered by its dependence on imported energy supplies which are subject to resource limitations, artificial pricing mechanisms which do not accurately reflect supply and demand relationships, and supply interruptions; (5) the early development and widespread utilization of photovoltaic energy systems could significantly expand the domestic . energy resource base of the United States, thereby lessening its dependence on foreign supplies; (6) the establishment of sizable markets for photovoltaic energy systems will justify private investment in plant and equipment necessary to realize the economies of scale, and will result in significant reductions in the unit costs of these systems; (7) the use of solar photovoltaic energy systems for certain limited applications has already proved feasible; (8) there appear to be no insoluble technical obstacles to the widespread commercial use of solar photovoltaic energy technologies; (9) an aggressive research and development program should solve existing technical problems of solar photovoltaic systems; and, supported by an assured and growing market for photovoltaic systems during the next decade, should maximize the future contribution of solar photovoltaic energy to this Nation's future energy production; (10) it is the proper and appropriate role of the Federal Government to undertake research, development, and demonstration programs in solar photovoltaic energy technologies and to supple-

Nov. 4, 1978 [H.R. 12874]

Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978. 42 USC 5501 note. 42 USC 5581.

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