I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7722 
To establish the Integrated Blue Economy and Blue Energy Technologies 
Program, and a Blue Economy Center of Excellence, to support research 
and development of blue energy technologies. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 19, 2024 
Mr. KILMER (for himself and Mr. NEWHOUSE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To establish the Integrated Blue Economy and Blue Energy 
Technologies Program, and a Blue Economy Center of 
Excellence, to support research and development of blue 
energy technologies. 
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 ‘‘Blue Ocean Energy 
Innovation Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. INTEGRATED BLUE ECONOMY AND BLUE ENERGY 
TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall es-
tablish and carry out a program, to be known as the ‘‘Inte-
grated Blue Economy and Blue Energy Technologies Pro-
gram’’, under which the Secretary of Energy shall provide 
funding for research and development of blue energy tech-
nologies for purposes of— 
(1) decarbonizing activities that contribute to 
the blue economy, including— 
(A) improving port and other maritime 
transportation infrastructure; 
(B) producing algae for use as a biofuel, 
and for other applications; and 
(C) operating ocean- and water-based tour-
ism industries; 
(2) increasing blue energy technology genera-
tion capacity while reducing the cost to produce such 
energy; 
(3) improving performance of blue energy tech-
nologies; 
(4) capturing, removing, and sequestering 
greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and 
methane; 
(5) developing new blue energy technology mar-
ket opportunities; 
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(6) promoting job creation in the blue economy 
and blue energy technology sectors; 
(7) supporting the development of a skilled, di-
verse, and inclusive blue economy workforce; 
(8) remediating and improving coastal and 
aquatic ecosystems; 
(9) addressing technical and development chal-
lenges that are unique to operating in marine and 
freshwater environments, including by— 
(A) developing tools, sensors, and models 
to 
advance 
scientific 
understanding 
of 
metocean, geotechnical, geophysical, and bio-
logical conditions in marine and freshwater en-
vironments applicable to blue energy tech-
nologies; 
(B) advancing social science related to 
community and industry engagement to inform 
future development; 
(C) conducting feasibility analyses for en-
ergy storage and microgrid deployments; 
(D) planning for power transmission and 
distribution; 
(E) advancing technologies for anchoring 
and mooring systems; 
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(F) addressing challenges of integrating 
with the bulk-power system, especially in deep 
water environments; 
(G) deploying energy storage and charging 
infrastructure; and 
(H) developing advanced materials capable 
of enduring harsh environmental conditions; 
and 
(10) supporting any other activities as identi-
fied by the Secretary. 
(b) CROSSCUT BUDGET.—In carrying out the Inte-
grated Blue Economy and Blue Energy Technologies Pro-
gram, the Secretary of Energy shall prepare a crosscut 
budget based on the research and development activities 
conducted by relevant Department of Energy offices, in-
cluding the following: 
(1) The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renew-
able Energy. 
(2) The Office of Science. 
(3) The Office of Electricity. 
(4) The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Secu-
rity, and Emergency Response. 
(5) The Advanced Research Projects Agency— 
Energy. 
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(6) The Office of Clean Energy Demonstra-
tions. 
(7) The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon 
Management. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2024 
through 2034. 
(2) SUPPLEMENT
AND
NOT
SUPPLANT.—The 
amounts authorized to be appropriated under this 
subsection shall supplement, and not supplant, any 
other amounts made available to the Department of 
Energy. 
SEC. 3. BLUE ECONOMY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall establish a Blue Economy Center of Excellence to 
support the Integrated Blue Economy and Blue Energy 
Technologies Program established in section 2. 
(b) LOCATION.—The Blue Economy Center of Excel-
lence shall be co-located at an existing National Labora-
tory that— 
(1) is working to develop blue energy tech-
nologies; 
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