---
type: "LegalText"
title: "42 U.S.C. § 8273"
description: "Purpose of program"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
chapter_number: "91"
chapter_name: "NATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION POLICY"
section: "8273"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 8273"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s8273"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml"
source_hash: "b6041d1fcf82d7a5c32bfb7c758d4f40a66ae4808aa74d8f1fa48bae58e807d8"
raw_snapshot_hash: "644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e"
text_hash: "769767dcdf5262d4d617cfdcfb14f384b1bb779636558c2c215b9ebfc8240272"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 42 U.S.C. § 8273 - Purpose of program

## Text

The purpose of the program established by section 8272 of this title is to—

(1) accelerate the growth of a commercially viable and competitive industry to make photovoltaic solar electric systems available to the general public as an option in order to reduce national consumption of fossil fuel;

(2) reduce fossil fuel costs to the Federal Government;

(3) stimulate the general use within the Federal Government of methods for the minimization of life cycle costs; and

(4) develop performance data on the program established by section 8272 of this title.

(Pub. L. 95–619, title V, § 564, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3280.)