Improving Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Use By Federal Agencies Act of 2010
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-699.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 22, 2010
Improving Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Use By Federal Agencies Act of 2010 - Authorizes the head of each executive agency to establish projects under which an agency head may offer to enter into cost-effective power purchase agreements, during a 10-year period beginning on the date of this Act's enactment, for the purchase of electricity from renewable energy sources from federal facilities that are owned or controlled by the agency. Limits the term of the agreements to 30 years. Authorizes agencies to enter into interagency agreements as part of power purchase agreements.
Establishes in the Treasury the Federal Facility Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects Fund from which the Secretary of Energy (DOE) shall provide assistance for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects carried out at federal facilities.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a federal facility energy efficiency and renewable energy projects fund program under which the Secretary shall make loans to assist agencies in reducing energy use; (2) promulgate regulations that enable agencies to retain the financial savings that result from entering into utility energy saving contracts; (3) promulgate regulations that establish appropriate methods and procedures for agencies to identify all potential locations at their facilities for renewable energy projects; (4) issue guidance for agencies to employ advanced tools allowing energy savings through the use of computer hardware, energy efficiency software, and power management tools; and (5) issue guidance on a federal energy management and data collection standard that includes a plan for the General Services Administration (GSA) to publish energy consumption data for individual facilities on a searchable website accessible by the public.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Read full official summaryShow less
Requires agencies to submit annual plans on metering their consumption of electricity. Requires the Secretary to develop and report on best practices for the use of advanced metering of energy use in federal facilities, buildings, and equipment by federal agencies.
Authorizes the Administrator of GSA to use appropriated funds to update project designs to meet federal building energy efficiency standards.
Requires the Administrator and the Secretary to incorporate commissioning and recommissioning standards for all real property that: (1) is more than $10 million in value; (2) has more than 50,000 square feet; or (3) has energy intensity of more than $2 per square foot.
Requires a contribution by the Secretary of Defense to a state for facilities for reserve components of the Armed Forces that is made at an armory or readiness center for an energy efficiency upgrade to cover 100% of the costs of architectural, engineering, and design services and the cost of the construction related to the upgrade.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Explore the bill from different angles
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.
Neutral evidence review
Objective
Analyze S.3251 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.
View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact
Progressive lens
Examine S.3251 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.
View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope
Conservative lens
Examine S.3251 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.
View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power
Liberty lens
Examine S.3251 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.