Description:
S. 2702 would require the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the Integrated Energy Systems Program. Under that program, DOE would work with the National Laboratories, universities, and private-sector entities to coordinate projects and award grants to conduct research and development on energy systems that integrate nuclear, renewable, and fossil energy. The bill also would require program participants to research efficient energy production and technologies to reduce emissions. Finally, S. 2702 would require DOE to report to the Congress each year on any programs that duplicate the Integrated Energy Systems Program. In 2019, DOE conducted a variety of activities that are similar to those under the proposed program. According to budget documents from DOE, the department allocated $230 million for those activities in 2020. Using information from DOE, CBO estimates that implementing S.2702 would increase the scope of those ongoing activities by roughly 20 percent. That estimated increase could be larger or smaller, depending on the department’s evaluation of projects conducted under the program. After accounting for the effects of anticipated inflation and the cost of the report, and based on spending patterns for similar programs, CBO estimates that implementing S. 2702 would cost $171 million over the 2020-2025 period, assuming appropriation of the estimated amounts. The costs of the legislation (detailed in Table 1) fall within budget function 270 (energy).
