text: SECTION 1. ENERGY INNOVATION HUBS.
  
      (a) Authorization of Program.--
              (1) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a 
          program to enhance the Nation's economic, environmental, and 
          energy security by making awards to consortia for establishing 
          and operating Energy Innovation Hubs to conduct and support, 
          whenever practicable at one centralized location, 
          multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, 
          demonstration, and commercial application of advanced energy 
          technologies.
              (2) Technology development focus.--The Secretary shall 
          designate for each Hub a unique advanced energy technology 
          focus.
              (3) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure the 
          coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the 
          activities of Hubs with those of other Department of Energy 
          research entities, including the National Laboratories, the 
          Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy, Energy Frontier 
          Research Centers, and within industry.
      (b) Consortia.--
              (1) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive an award under 
          this section for the establishment and operation of a Hub, a 
          consortium shall--
                      (A) be composed of no fewer than 2 qualifying 
                  entities; and
                      (B) operate subject to an agreement entered into by 
                  its members that documents--
                              (i) the proposed partnership agreement, 
                          including the governance and management 
                          structure of the Hub;
                              (ii) measures to enable cost-effective 
                          implementation of the program under this 
                          section;
                              (iii) a proposed budget, including 
                          financial contributions from non-Federal 
                          sources;
                              (iv) a plan for managing intellectual 
                          property rights; and
                              (v) an accounting structure that enables 
                          the Secretary to ensure that the consortium has 
                          complied with the requirements of this section.
              (2) Application.--A consortium seeking to establish and 
          operate a Hub under this section, acting through a prime 
          applicant, shall transmit to the Secretary an application at 
          such time, in such form, and accompanied by such information as 
          the Secretary shall require, including a detailed description 
          of the elements of the consortium agreement required under 
          paragraph (1)(B). If the consortium members will not be located 
          at one centralized location, such application shall include a 
          communications plan that ensures close coordination and 
          integration of the Hub's activities.
      (c) Selection and Schedule.--The Secretary shall select consortia 
  for awards for the establishment and operation of Hubs through 
  competitive selection processes. In selecting consortia, the Secretary 
  shall consider the information a consortium must disclose according to 
  subsection (b), as well as any existing facilities a consortium will 
  provide for Hub activities. Awards made to a Hub shall be for a period 
  not to exceed 5 years, after which the award may be renewed, subject to 
  a rigorous merit review. A Hub already in existence on the date of 
  enactment of this Act may continue to receive support for a period of 5 
  years beginning on the date of establishment of that Hub.
      (d) Hub Operations.--
              (1) In general.--Each Hub shall conduct or provide for 
          multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, 
          demonstration, and, where appropriate, commercial application 
          of advanced energy technologies within the technology 
          development focus designated under subsection (a)(2). Each Hub 
          shall--
                      (A) encourage collaboration and communication among 
                  the member qualifying entities of the consortium and 
                  awardees by conducting activities whenever practicable 
                  at one centralized location;
                      (B) develop and publish on the Department of 
                  Energy's website proposed plans and programs;
                      (C) submit an annual report to the Secretary 
                  summarizing the Hub's activities, including detailing 
                  organizational expenditures, and describing each 
                  project undertaken by the Hub; and
                      (D) monitor project implementation and 
                  coordination.
              (2) Conflicts of interest.--
                      (A) Procedures.--Hubs shall maintain conflict of 
                  interest procedures, consistent with those of the 
                  Department of Energy, to ensure that employees and 
                  consortia designees for Hub activities who are in 
                  decisionmaking capacities disclose all material 
                  conflicts of interest and avoid such conflicts.
                      (B) Disqualification and revocation.--The Secretary 
                  may disqualify an application or revoke funds 
                  distributed to a Hub if the Secretary discovers a 
                  failure to comply with conflict of interest procedures 
                  established under subparagraph (A).
              (3) Prohibition on construction.--
                      (A) In general.--No funds provided pursuant to this 
                  section may be used for construction of new buildings 
                  or facilities for Hubs. Construction of new buildings 
                  or facilities shall not be considered as part of the 
                  non-Federal share of a Hub cost-sharing agreement.
                      (B) Test bed and renovation exception.--Nothing in 
                  this subsection shall prohibit the use of funds 
                  provided pursuant to this section, or non-Federal cost 
                  share funds, for research or for the construction of a 
                  test bed or renovations to existing buildings or 
                  facilities for the purposes of research if the 
                  Secretary determines that the test bed or renovations 
                  are limited to a scope and scale necessary for the 
                  research to be conducted.
      (e) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities of the 
  Department, the Secretary may terminate an underperforming Hub for 
  cause during the performance period.
      (f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
              (1) Advanced energy technology.--The term ``advanced energy 
          technology'' means--
                      (A) an innovative technology--
                              (i) that produces energy from solar, wind, 
                          geothermal, biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or 
                          other renewable energy resources;
                              (ii) that produces nuclear energy;
                              (iii) for carbon capture and sequestration;
                              (iv) that enables advanced vehicles, 
                          vehicle components, and related technologies 
                          that result in significant energy savings;
                              (v) that generates, transmits, distributes, 
                          utilizes, or stores energy more efficiently 
                          than conventional technologies, including 
                          through Smart Grid technologies; or
                              (vi) that enhances the energy independence 
                          and security of the United States by enabling 
                          improved or expanded supply and production of 
                          domestic energy resources, including coal, oil, 
                          and natural gas;
                      (B) research, development, demonstration, and 
                  commercial application activities necessary to ensure 
                  the long-term, secure, and sustainable supply of energy 
                  critical elements; or
                      (C) another innovative energy technology area 
                  identified by the Secretary.
              (2) Energy critical element.--The term ``energy critical 
          element'' means any of a class of chemical elements that have a 
          high risk of a supply disruption and are critical to one or 
          more new, energy-related technologies such that a shortage of 
          such element would significantly inhibit large-scale deployment 
          of technologies that produce, transmit, store, or conserve 
          energy.
              (3) Hub.--The term ``Hub'' means an Energy Innovation Hub 
          established or operating in accordance with this section, 
          including any Energy Innovation Hub existing as of the date of 
          enactment of this Act.
              (4) Qualifying entity.--The term ``qualifying entity'' 
          means--
                      (A) an institution of higher education;
                      (B) an appropriate State or Federal entity, 
                  including the Department of Energy Federally Funded 
                  Research and Development Centers;
                      (C) a nongovernmental organization with expertise 
                  in advanced energy technology research, development, 
                  demonstration, or commercial application; or
                      (D) any other relevant entity the Secretary 
                  considers appropriate.
target: This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to carry out a grant program to enhance the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by making awards to consortia for establishing and operating Energy Innovation Hubs to conduct and support multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of advanced energy technologies. Advanced energy technologies are innovative technologies or research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities necessary to ensure the long-term, secure, and sustainable supply of energy critical elements. These elements have a high risk of a supply disruption and are critical to new, energy-related technologies in that a shortage of the element would significantly inhibit large-scale deployment of technologies that produce, transmit, store, or conserve energy.  Examples of advanced energy technology include an innovative technology that:  produces energy from renewable energy resources;   produces nuclear energy;  includes carbon capture and sequestration;  enables advanced vehicles, vehicle components, and related technologies that result in significant energy savings;   generates, transmits, distributes, utilizes, or stores energy more efficiently than conventional technologies; and   enhances the energy independence and security of the United States by enabling improved or expanded supply and production of domestic energy resources.  DOE must designate a unique advanced energy technology focus for each hub.  Grants may not be used for constructing new buildings or facilities for hubs. Further, construction of new buildings or facilities may not be considered as part of the non-federal share of a hub cost-sharing agreement. Grants and non-federal cost share funds may be used for research or for the construction of a test bed or renovations to existing buildings or facilities for the purposes of research.
feat_title: To authorize Energy Innovation Hubs.