Clean Energy Workforce Act

This legislation, known as the Clean Energy Workforce Act, establishes two competitive grant programs to advance career and technical education in renewable energy and related fields. The first program authorizes the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to award grants to eligible partnerships for developing or expanding programs of study focused on emerging careers in clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate change mitigation or adaptation. These grants aim to create replicable curricula accessible to a wide range of students, including those who are economically disadvantaged or low-performing, and to prepare them for specific occupations with demonstrated labor market needs.

The second grant program provides funds to eligible entities for promoting the development of energy-efficient career and technical education facilities and integrating renewable energy practices. Grantees can use these funds for sustainability evaluations, facility construction or improvement, and purchasing energy-efficient equipment for educational purposes. A peer review committee, composed of educators and industry experts, will evaluate applications for both grant programs, which are authorized to receive $100,000,000 in appropriations to support the growth of the clean energy workforce.