S. 3460: 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2010

111th Congress · introduced 2010-06-07 · Energy · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 618.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2010-06-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 618. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2010

Plain summary

10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide competitive grants to states, Indian tribes, and local governments to provide rebates, loans, or other incentives to eligible participants for the purchase and installation of solar energy systems for properties located in the United States. Requires the Secretary to implement criteria for awarding such grants that: (1) provides the maximum leverage of federal funds; (2) provides for the maximum deployment of solar energy; (3) ensures that grants are awarded to a diversity of geographic locations and recipients with different population sizes; (4) provides no less than 2% of the funds available to Indian tribes and consortia of Indian tribes; and (5) provides a preference for grant recipients that have established and maintained, or that agree to commit to establish and maintain, standards and policies to overcome barriers to distributed generation (including interconnection and net metering). Authorizes the use of funds received to expand or establish a solar rebate program, a solar loan program, a solar performance-based incentive program, or another solar incentive program, solar deployment program or project, or innovative solar financing program as determined by the Secretary. Requires a grant recipient to: (1) certify that funds will be used to supplement, expand, or create new programs and to deploy an increased quantity of solar energy systems; and (2) submit to the Secretary an implementation plan that contains projections for solar energy systems deployment, data regarding the number of eligible participants that are assisted under existing applicable state and local programs, and projections for additional solar energy system deployment and the number of additional eligible participants covered. Authorizes the Secretary to specify the type and capacity of solar energy system and type of deployment or incentive program for which the grant funds are made available. Makes each eligible entity receiving funds responsible for 20% of the amount of the provided funds. Provides that a participant who receives a rebate under this Act shall not be eligible for a rebate for expenditures for installation of a renewable energy system in connection with a dwelling unit or small business under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Limits the aggregate value of the grants, rebates, and tax credits provided to an eligible participant to 50% of the cost to the purchaser of the purchase and installation. Sets a goal of installing distributed solar energy systems on not fewer than 10 million properties located in the United States by December 31, 2021. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on recommendations in achieving such goal. Authorizes appropriations for FY2012-FY2021.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

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A “Nay” vote

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PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2010

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · 16 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 3460, 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2010 (2010-08-30); CBO cost estimate: S. 3460, 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2010 (2010-08-30)

Cosponsors on this site

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] reported raising $26.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s3460.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s3460 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111