HR 2994 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 2994CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To promote marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy research and development, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

September 21, 2011CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. INSLEE (for himself, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, and Mr. DEUTCH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To promote marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy research and development, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the ‘Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Table of Contents- The table of contents of this Act is as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 2. Marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy research and development program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 3. Test facilities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 4. National Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 5. Marine-based energy device verification program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 6. Adaptive management and environmental grant program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 7. Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. MARINE AND HYDROKINETIC RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

Section 633(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17212(a)) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘; and’ and inserting a semicolon;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘; and’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(15)(A) apply advanced systems engineering and system integration methods to identify critical interfaces and develop open standards for marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) transfer the resulting environmental data to industry stakeholders as public information through published interface definitions, standards, and demonstration projects; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) develop incentives for industry to comply with the standards.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. TEST FACILITIES.

Section 633 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17212) is amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Test Facilities-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- In carrying out this section, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall award competitive grants to support 4 or more geographically dispersed marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technology research, development, and demonstration test facilities for the demonstration of multiple technologies in actual operating marine environments (including industry demonstrations).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) PREFERENCE- In awarding competitive grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give preference to existing marine and hydrokinetic testing facilities and existing Centers established under section 634.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) FACILITIES- Grants under this subsection may support--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) modification of an existing facility (including a Center established under section 634); orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) construction of a new test facility.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) PROGRAM OBJECTIVES- In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall provide for the demonstration of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a variety of technologies at each test facility;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) a variety of technologies among all of the test facilities established; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) technologies on a variety of scales.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) ACTIVITIES- Each test facility established under this subsection shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) provide infrastructure and resources for the evaluation and technical viability testing of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) conduct and support research, development, and demonstration activities with respect to marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) ELIGIBILITY- To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, an applicant for a grant shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) a nonprofit institution;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) a State or local government;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) an institution of higher education;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iv) university consortia;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(v) a National Laboratory; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(vi) a Center established under section 634; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Secretary the ability and intention to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) combine expertise from relevant academic fields, including fields relating to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) the environment;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) marine and riverine sciences;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(III) energy;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(IV) ocean engineering; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(V) electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) partner with other entities (including industry) that have expertise in advancing marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MARINE AND HYDROKINETIC RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION CENTERS.

Section 634 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17213) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘and hydrokinetic’ after ‘marine’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in the first sentence of subsection (a), by inserting ‘and Hydrokinetic’ after ‘Marine’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Purposes- The Centers--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) advance research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) serve as information clearinghouses for the marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy industry by collecting and disseminating information on best practices in all areas relating to developing and managing marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) may serve as technology test facilities established under section 633(c).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. MARINE-BASED ENERGY DEVICE VERIFICATION PROGRAM.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211 et seq.) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) by redesignating sections 635 and 636 (42 U.S.C. 17214, 17215) as sections 638 and 639, respectively; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by inserting after section 634 (42 U.S.C. 17213) the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 635. MARINE-BASED ENERGY DEVICE VERIFICATION PROGRAM.

‘(a) Establishment- The Secretary shall establish a marine-based energy device verification program to provide a bridge from the marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy capture device design and development efforts underway across the industry to commercial deployment of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy devices.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Purposes- The purposes of the program are to fund, facilitate the development and installation of, and evaluate marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy projects, in partnership with Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and in conjunction with Centers established under section 634, universities and other institutions of higher education, private business entities, and other appropriate organizations, in order--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) to increase marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy experience; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) to build and operate enough candidate devices to obtain statistically significant operating and maintenance data.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Objectives- The objectives of the program shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) verifying the performance, reliability, maintainability, and cost of new marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy device designs and system components in an operating environment;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) providing States, regulators, utilities, and other stakeholders with a valid opportunity to test and evaluate marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technology in new areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) documenting and communicating the experience from those projects for the benefit of utilities, independent power producers, other nonutility generators, device suppliers, and others in the marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy development community; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) resolving environmental issues through robust characterization, reliable impact prediction, effective monitoring, development, and use of adaptive management, and informing engineering design to improve environmental performance.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT PROGRAM.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211 et seq.) (as amended by section 5) is amended by inserting after section 635 the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 636. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT PROGRAM.

‘(a) Findings- Congress finds that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the use of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies can reduce contributions to global warming;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies can be produced domestically;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy is a nascent industry; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) the United States must work to promote new renewable energy technologies that reduce contributions to global warming gases and improve domestic energy production.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Grant Program-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) to advance the development of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) to help fund the costs of environmental analysis affecting the deployment of marine hydrokinetic devices;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) to help enable the eligible entities--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) to gather and collect the types of environmental data that are required when working in a public resource (including the waterways and oceans of the United States); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) to monitor the impacts of demonstration projects and make the resulting information available for widespread dissemination to aid future projects; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) to help fund the cost of advancing renewable marine and hydrokinetic technologies in ocean and riverine environments from demonstration projects to development and deployment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) APPLICATION- To be eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph, an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATION.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211 et seq.) (as amended by section 6) is amended by inserting after section 636 the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 637. ADMINISTRATION.

‘(a) In General- In carrying out this subtitle, the Secretary shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) coordinate and avoid duplication of activities across programs of the Department and other applicable Federal agencies, including the National Laboratories;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) collaborate with (as applicable)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) industry;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) stakeholders;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) other Federal agencies, including the National Laboratories;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) academic institutions; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) international bodies with relevant scientific expertise; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) obtain from the recipient of assistance and make available to the public, through Web sites, reports, and databases of the Department, any research, development, demonstration, and commercial application information produced with respect to supported technology, including information obtained after the completion of supported activities, except to the extent that the information is protected from disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Reports- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on findings and activities conducted under this subtitle.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Section 639 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17215) (as redesignated by section 5(1)) is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 639. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

‘(a) In General- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subtitle, to remain available until expended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Renewable Energy Funds- No funds shall be appropriated under this section for activities that are receiving funds under section 931(a)(2)(E)(i) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16231(a)(2)(E)(i)).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink