By: Talarico H.B. No. 4090       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a grant and loan program to promote the installation of   on-site solar energy and energy storage for resilience.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 2305, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 2305.040 to read as follows:          Sec. 2305.040.  SOLAR ENERGY AND ENERGY STORAGE RESILIENCE   GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "solar energy device"   means a system or series of mechanisms designed primarily to   provide heating or cooling or to produce electrical or mechanical   power by collecting and transferring solar-generated energy.          (b)  In this section, "energy storage device" means a   mechanical or chemical device that has the ability to store   solar-generated energy for use in heating or cooling or in the   production of power.          (c)  In this section, "essential community services" means   those providing the public with free water, food, shelter, medical   services, emergency response operations, and other services that   the local county deems essential.          (d)  The energy office is the supervising state agency of the   solar energy and energy storage resilience grant and loan program.   The program is established to encourage the installation of solar   energy and energy storage devices to enable locations that provide   essential community services during emergencies to continue   operating autonomously when electricity from the grid is not   available.          (e)  The energy office shall award grants or make or   guarantee loans for the the solar energy and energy storage   resilience grant and loan program.          (f)  Grants shall be made available for government   facilities. The energy office shall distribute grants in a manner   that ensures an equitable geographic distribution.          (g)  The energy office shall determine the terms under which   a loan may be made under this section and shall set the interest   rate for a loan at a low rate that the energy office determines is   sufficient to recover the cost of administering the loan program.          (h)  Before awarding a grant or making a loan under this   section, the energy office shall enter into a written agreement   with the entity to which the grant is to be awarded or the loan is to   be made. The agreement may specify that if, as of a date specified   by the agreement, the entity has not used the grant or loan for the   purposes for which the grant or loan was intended, the entity shall   repay the amount of the grant or the amount of the loan and any   accrued interest, as applicable, under terms specified by the   agreement.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.