I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3609 
To provide for a program of wind energy research, development, and 
demonstration, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 2, 2019 
Mr. TONKO (for himself, Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. BACON) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To provide for a program of wind energy research, 
development, and demonstration, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Wind Energy Research 
and Development Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY, RESEARCH, DEVELOP-
MENT AND TESTING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy (in this 
Act, referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall carry out a pro-
gram to conduct research, development, testing, and eval-
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uation of wind energy technologies. In carrying out such 
program, the Secretary shall award grants under this sec-
tion and sections 3, 4, and 5 on a competitive, merit-re-
viewed basis to eligible entities for each of the following 
purposes: 
(1) To improve the energy efficiency, reliability, 
resilience, security, and capacity of wind energy gen-
eration. 
(2) To optimize the design and control of wind 
energy systems for the broadest practical range of 
atmospheric conditions. 
(3) To reduce the cost and risk of permitting, 
construction, operation, and maintenance of wind 
energy systems, including technologies to reduce en-
vironmental and community impacts, improve grid 
integration and reduce regulatory barriers. 
(4) To improve materials, engineering, and 
manufacturing processes for turbines, including 
supersized turbines. 
(5) To optimize wind plant performance and in-
tegration within hybrid energy systems to enhance 
cost efficiency and electric grid stability and resil-
ience. 
(b) WIND ENERGY RESEARCH SUBJECT AREAS.— 
The program established under subsection (a) shall focus 
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(G) lightweight materials. 
(3) Offshore wind-specific projects including— 
(A) fixed and floating substructure con-
cepts; 
(B) projects to assess and mitigate the im-
pacts of hurricane wind flow, freshwater ice, 
and other United States-specific conditions; 
(C) innovative operations and maintenance 
strategies; 
(D) analysis of offshore meteorological, ge-
ological, and oceanographic data collection; and 
(E) offshore infrastructure monitoring. 
(4) Recycling and reuse of wind energy compo-
nents. 
(5) Wind power forecasting and atmospheric 
measurement systems, including for turbines and 
plant systems of varying height. 
(6) The distributed wind energy sector. 
(7) Advanced transportation mechanisms for 
wind turbine components. 
(8) Transformational technologies for har-
nessing wind energy, including airborne wind energy 
concepts. 
(9) Methods to extend the operational lifetime 
of onshore and offshore wind turbines and systems. 
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(10) Other research areas as determined by the 
Secretary. 
(c) COORDINATION.—To the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the Secretary shall coordinate activities under the 
program established under subsection (a) with other rel-
evant programs and capabilities of the Department of En-
ergy and other Federal research programs. 
(d) CONFORMING REPEALS.— 
(1) Section 931(a)(2) of the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16231(a)(2)) is amended by 
striking subparagraph (B). 
(2) Section 4(a) of the Renewable Energy and 
Energy Efficiency Technology Competitiveness Act 
of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 12003(a)) is amended by strik-
ing paragraph (1). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means any of the 
following entities: 
(A) An institution of higher education. 
(B) A National Laboratory. 
(C) A Federal research agency. 
(D) A State research agency. 
(E) A nonprofit research organization. 
(F) An industrial entity or a multi-institu-
tional consortium thereof. 
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(2) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001). 
(3) The term ‘‘National Laboratory’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 2(3) of the En-
ergy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801(3)). 
(4) The term ‘‘supersized turbine’’ means a 12 
megawatt or greater wind turbine, typically with a 
tower height greater than 140 meters and blades 
greater than 75 meters. 
SEC. 3. WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY VALIDATION AND 
MARKET TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program es-
tablished under section 2(a), the Secretary shall conduct 
a wind energy technology validation and market trans-
formation program under which the Secretary shall award 
grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to eligible 
entities to support activities that demonstrate and validate 
new wind energy technologies with the potential to be cost- 
competitive for land-based, offshore, and distributed appli-
cations. 
(b) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity seeking a grant 
under this section shall submit an application in such form 
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and manner as the Secretary may prescribe and that con-
tains— 
(1) a certification that any demonstration 
project carried out using grant funds are— 
(A) conducted in collaboration with indus-
try and, as appropriate, with institutions of 
higher education and other Federal research 
programs; and 
(B) of sufficient size and geographic diver-
sity to measure wind energy system perform-
ance under the full productive range of wind 
conditions in the United States; and 
(2) such other information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(c) FACILITY FOR HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM RE-
SEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.—In carrying 
out the program established under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall establish or support a facility to conduct re-
search and demonstration projects for wind turbines and 
plants in hybrid energy systems that incorporate diverse 
generation sources, loads, and storage technologies. 
SEC. 4. WIND ENERGY INCUBATOR FUNDING. 
In carrying out the program established under section 
2(a), the Secretary shall award grants on a competitive, 
merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities to support innova-
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tive technologies that are not represented in a significant 
way in— 
(1) the portfolio of wind energy research activi-
ties carried out by the Department of Energy as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act; or 
(2) technology roadmaps used by the Depart-
ment of Energy as of such date of enactment. 
SEC. 5. MITIGATING REGULATORY AND MARKET BARRIERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program es-
tablished under section 2(a), the Secretary shall award 
grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to eligible 
entities to research, develop, test, and evaluate ways to 
reduce regulatory and market barriers to the widespread 
adoption of wind power, including— 
(1) grid transmission and integration chal-
lenges; and 
(2) permitting issues associated with the poten-
tial impacts of wind power systems on wildlife, radar 
systems, local communities, military operations, and 
airspace. 
(b) WILDLIFE IMPACT MITIGATION.—In carrying out 
the activities described in subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall support the development, testing, and evaluation of 
wildlife impact mitigation technologies or strategies to re-
duce the potential impacts of wind energy facilities on— 
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(1) bald and golden eagles; 
(2) bat species; 
(3) marine wildlife; and 
(4) other impacted species. 
(c) EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.—In carrying out 
the activities described in subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall support education and outreach activities to dissemi-
nate information and promote public understanding of 
wind technologies and the wind energy workforce, includ-
ing the Collegiate Wind Competition. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this Act— 
(1) $103,692,000 for fiscal year 2020; 
(2) $108,876,600 for fiscal year 2021; 
(3) $114,320,430 for fiscal year 2022; 
(4) $120,036,452 for fiscal year 2023; and 
(5) $126,038,274 for fiscal year 2024. 
Æ 
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