PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 313.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Feb 7, 2012
10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) establish a program to provide competitive grants and/or challenge grants to local governments that have adopted best practices for solar permitting for properties located in the United States, (2) provide voluntary certification and recognition for such governments, and (3) implement specified criteria for awarding such grants.
Authorizes the use of funds for competitive grants for: (1) training and the development of materials and tools for making the local permitting process for solar energy systems more standardized, efficient, and less expensive; and (2) solar energy system deployment projects or programs to pilot new permitting strategies or processes. Authorizes the use of funds for challenge grants for: (1) solar energy system deployment projects, and (2) programs to pilot new permitting strategies or processes.
Requires the Secretary to rescind grant funds provided to any grant recipient that receives funds based on a commitment to adopt best practices for solar permitting but that is unable to implement the steps necessary to adopt such practices.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Makes each eligible entity receiving funds responsible for a matching amount not to exceed 50% of the funds provided.
Sets goals of: (1) installing distributed solar energy systems on not fewer than 10 million properties located in the United States by December 31, 2020; and (2) achieving cost reductions in the price of solar energy by such date, consistent with DOE's SunShot Initiative.
Requires the Secretary to report on: (1) additional recommendations that the Secretary determines to be necessary to achieve such goals, and (2) the progress of grant recipients in implementing and maintaining best practices for solar permitting.
Authorizes appropriations for FY2012-FY2016.
People & committees
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · I–VT
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 313.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment. With written report No. 112-144.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment. With written report No. 112-144.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-253.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.1108 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.1108 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine S.1108 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine S.1108 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.