A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to carry out a program to support the research, demonstration, and development of commercial applications for offshore wind energy, and for other purposes.

Summary: Offshore Wind Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercial Application Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Energy to implement a program to: (1) improve the energy efficiency, reliability, and capacity of offshore wind turbines; and (2) reduce the cost of manufacturing, construction, deployment, generation, and maintenance of offshore wind energy systems.

Requires the Secretary to implement the program to support: (1) the design, demonstration, and deployment of advanced wind turbine foundations and support structures, blades, turbine systems, components, and supporting land- and water-based infrastructure for application in shallow water, transitional depths, and deep offshore water; (2) the full-scale testing and establishment of regional demonstrations of offshore wind components and systems to validate technology and performance issues relating to the components; (3) assessments of the offshore wind resources for inclusion in a publicly accessible database; (4) the design, demonstration, and deployment of integrated sensors, actuators, and advanced materials; (5) advanced blade manufacturing activity to stimulate the development of the blade manufacturing capacity of the United States; and (6) methods to assess and mitigate the effects of wind energy systems on marine ecosystems and marine industries.

Requires the Secretary to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education to establish national offshore wind centers. Requires such a center to be designed to: (1) focus on deepwater floating offshore wind energy technologies; and (2) facilitate the conduct of initiatives to advance program activities.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Offshore Wind Energy Research, 
Development, Demonstration, and Commercial Application Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (2) National offshore wind center.--The term ``national 
        offshore wind center'' means a national offshore wind energy 
        research, development, and demonstration center established 
        under section 4(a).
            (3) Program.--The term ``program'' means a program--
                    (A) that includes activities to support the 
                research, demonstration, and development of commercial 
                applications for offshore wind energy; and
                    (B) to be carried out by the Secretary under 
                section 3(a).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 3. OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, in accordance with subsection (b), the Secretary shall 
carry out the program--
            (1) to improve the energy efficiency, reliability, and 
        capacity of offshore wind turbines; and
            (2) to reduce the cost of manufacturing, construction, 
        deployment, generation, and maintenance of offshore wind energy 
        systems.
    (b) Program Requirements.--The Secretary shall carry out the 
program to support--
            (1) the design, demonstration, and deployment of advanced 
        wind turbine foundations and support structures, blades, 
        turbine systems, components, and supporting land- and water-
        based infrastructure for application in--
                    (A) shallow water;
                    (B) transitional depths; and
                    (C) deep offshore water;
            (2) the full-scale testing and establishment of regional 
        demonstrations of offshore wind components and systems to 
        validate technology and performance issues relating to the 
        components;
            (3) for inclusion in a publically accessible database, 
        assessments of the offshore wind resources of the United 
        States, including--
                    (A) environmental impacts and benefits;
                    (B) siting and permitting issues;
                    (C) exclusion zones; and
                    (D) transmission needs;
            (4) the design, demonstration, and deployment of integrated 
        sensors, actuators, and advanced materials (including composite 
        materials);
            (5) advanced blade manufacturing activity (including 
        automation, materials, and the assembly of large-scale 
        components) to stimulate the development of the blade 
        manufacturing capacity of the United States;
            (6) methods to assess and mitigate the effects of wind 
        energy systems on marine ecosystems and marine industries; and
            (7) other research areas, as determined to be appropriate 
        by the Secretary.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND 
              DEMONSTRATION CENTERS.

    (a) Duty of Secretary.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award, on a competitive 
basis and with an emphasis on technical merit, grants to institutions 
of higher education to establish 1 or more national offshore wind 
centers.
    (b) Selection Criteria.--In selecting institutions of higher 
education under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give preference to 
institutions of higher education that--
            (1) agree to cover transitional depth technologies to 
        complement the activities of a national offshore wind center;
            (2) agree to host an offshore wind energy research and 
        development program funded by the Department of Energy in 
        coordination with an engineering program of the institution of 
        higher education;
            (3) employ individuals who have proven expertise relating 
        to the development of novel materials for commercial 
        applications; and
            (4) have access to, and use the resources of--
                    (A) the Atlantic Ocean;
                    (B) the Gulf of Mexico; or
                    (C) the Pacific Ocean.
    (c) Requirements.--A national offshore wind center established with 
funds provided by the Secretary through a grant under subsection (a) 
shall be designed--
            (1) to focus on deepwater floating offshore wind energy 
        technologies; and
            (2) to facilitate the conduct of initiatives to advance 1 
        or more activities described in section 3(b).

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this Act $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2021.