I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4423 
To provide for a program of wind energy research, development, and 
demonstration, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 1, 2016 
Mr. TONKO 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 2016’’. 
SEC. 2. WIND ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
carry out a program of research and development to— 
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(1) improve the energy efficiency, reliability, 
and capacity of wind energy generation; 
(2) optimize the design and adaptability of wind 
energy systems to the broadest practical range of at-
mospheric conditions; and 
(3) reduce the cost of permitting, construction, 
operation, and maintenance of wind energy systems. 
(b) PROGRAM.—The program under this section shall 
focus on research, development, and testing of— 
(1) wind power plant performance and oper-
ations including— 
(A) wind flows and turbine-to-turbine 
interactions; 
(B) energy conversion potential; 
(C) turbine control paradigms; and 
(D) turbine component and integrated 
plant systems; 
(2) new materials and designs to make innova-
tive wind turbine rotor and drivetrain concepts in-
cluding— 
(A) higher tip speed rotor designs; 
(B) low noise rotor designs; 
(C) more cost-effective rotor designs that 
are able to be integrated into current turbines; 
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SEC. 3. WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY VALIDATION AND 
MARKET TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
conduct a wind energy technology validation and market 
transformation program. In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that— 
(1) the program demonstrates and validates 
new wind energy technologies with the potential to 
be cost-competitive for land-based, offshore, and dis-
tributed applications; and 
(2) demonstration projects carried out under 
this program are— 
(A) conducted in collaboration with indus-
try and, as appropriate, with academic institu-
tions; 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. 
(b) COST-SHARING.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the program under this section in compliance with section 
988(a) through (d) and section 989 of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(a) through (d) and 16353). 
SEC. 4. WIND ENERGY EXPANSION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
conduct a program of research, development, demonstra-
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tion, and commercial application activities to reduce bar-
riers to the widespread adoption of wind power. Barriers 
addressed by this program may include— 
(1) grid integration challenges; and 
(2) permitting issues associated with the poten-
tial impacts of wind power systems on wildlife, radar 
systems, and airspace. 
(b) WILDLIFE IMPACT MITIGATION.—The program 
described in this section shall support the development of 
new wildlife impact mitigation technologies to reduce the 
potential impacts of wind energy facilities on— 
(1) bald and golden eagles; 
(2) bat species; and 
(3) other species which may impede the wide-
spread deployment of wind power. 
(c) EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.—The program de-
scribed in this section shall support education and out-
reach activities to disseminate information and promote 
public understanding of wind technologies, including the 
Collegiate Wind Competition. 
SEC. 5. WIND ENERGY INCUBATOR FUNDING. 
The Secretary of Energy shall maintain a wind en-
ergy incubator program to support innovative technologies 
that are not represented in a significant way in the De-
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partment of Energy’s current portfolio of wind energy re-
search activities or in current technology roadmaps. 
SEC. 6. COORDINATION. 
To the maximum extent practicable the Secretary of 
Energy shall coordinate activities under this Act with 
other relevant programs of the Department of Energy and 
other Federal research programs. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Energy to carry out this Act $200,000,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2021. 
Æ 
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