Title: Marine Energy Research and Development Act of 2019
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Marine Energy Research and Development Act of 2019
This bill directs the Water Power Technologies Office of the Department of Energy to carry out a program to accelerate the introduction of marine energy production into the United States energy supply while fostering accelerated research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technology, including programs to to identify and study critical short- and long-term needs to create a sustainable marine energy supply chain based in the United States.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1821 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1821

 To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to provide 
for research on, and the development and deployment of, marine energy, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 12, 2019

  Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. King, Mr. Schatz, and Mr. 
Reed) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
            to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to provide 
for research on, and the development and deployment of, marine energy, 
                        and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Marine Energy Research and 
Development Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to support marine energy programs that--
            (1) promote research on, and the development of, increased 
        energy generation and capacity at reduced costs;
            (2) promote research and development activities that 
        improve environmental outcomes of marine energy technologies;
            (3) provide grid stability and create new market 
        opportunities; and
            (4) promote job creation in the energy sector.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF MARINE ENERGY.

    (a) In General.--Section 632 of the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 632. DEFINITION OF MARINE ENERGY.

    ``In this subtitle, the term `marine energy' means energy from--
            ``(1) waves, tides, and currents in oceans, estuaries, and 
        tidal areas;
            ``(2) free-flowing hydrokinetic water in rivers, lakes, and 
        streams;
            ``(3) free-flowing hydrokinetic water in man-made channels; 
        and
            ``(4) differentials in ocean temperature or ocean thermal 
        energy conversion.''.
    (b) Conforming Edits.--
            (1) The subtitle heading for subtitle C of title VI of the 
        Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-
        440; 121 Stat. 1686) is amended by striking ``and Hydrokinetic 
        Renewable''.
            (2) Section 631 of the Energy Independence and Security Act 
        of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17001 note; 121 Stat. 1686) is amended by 
        striking ``and Hydrokinetic Renewable''.

SEC. 4. MARINE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 633 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17212) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 633. MARINE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the Water Power Technologies Office, in consultation with the Secretary 
of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, shall carry out a program to accelerate the 
introduction of marine energy production into the United States energy 
supply, giving priority to technologies most likely to lead to 
commercial utilization, while fostering accelerated research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application of technology, 
including programs--
            ``(1) to assist technology development on a variety of 
        scales, including full-scale prototypes, to improve the 
        components, processes, and systems used for power generation 
        from marine energy resources;
            ``(2) to establish and expand critical testing 
        infrastructure and facilities necessary--
                    ``(A) to cost-effectively and efficiently test and 
                prove marine energy devices; and
                    ``(B) to accelerate the technological readiness and 
                commercialization of those devices;
            ``(3) to support efforts to increase the efficiency of 
        energy conversion, lower the cost, increase the use, improve 
        the reliability, and demonstrate the applicability of marine 
        energy technologies by participating in demonstration projects;
            ``(4) to investigate variability issues and the efficient 
        and reliable integration of marine energy with the utility 
        grid;
            ``(5) to identify and study critical short- and long-term 
        needs to create a sustainable marine energy supply chain based 
        in the United States;
            ``(6) to increase the reliability and survivability of 
        marine energy technologies;
            ``(7) to verify the performance, reliability, 
        maintainability, and cost of new marine energy device designs 
        and system components in an operating environment;
            ``(8) to consider the protection of critical 
        infrastructure, such as adequate separation between marine 
        energy devices and projects and submarine telecommunications 
        cables, including consideration of established industry 
        standards;
            ``(9)(A) to coordinate the programs carried out under this 
        section with, and avoid duplication of activities across, 
        programs of the Department and other applicable Federal 
        agencies, including National Laboratories; and
            ``(B) to coordinate public-private collaboration in 
        carrying out the programs under this section;
            ``(10) to identify opportunities for joint research and 
        development programs and the development of economies of scale 
        between--
                    ``(A) marine energy technologies; and
                    ``(B) other renewable energy and fossil energy 
                programs, offshore oil and gas production activities, 
                and activities of the Department of Defense;
            ``(11) to identify, in conjunction with the Secretary of 
        Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
        Oceans and Atmosphere, and other relevant Federal agencies as 
        appropriate, the potential environmental impacts, including 
        potential impacts on fisheries and other marine resources, of 
        marine energy technologies, measures to prevent adverse 
        impacts, and technologies and other means available for 
        monitoring and determining environmental impacts;
            ``(12) to identify, in conjunction with the Secretary of 
        the Department in which the United States Coast Guard is 
        operating, acting through the Commandant of the United States 
        Coast Guard, the potential navigational impacts of marine 
        energy technologies and measures to prevent adverse impacts on 
        navigation; and
            ``(13) to support in-water technology development with 
        international partners using existing cooperative procedures 
        (including memoranda of understanding)--
                    ``(A) to allow cooperative funding and other 
                support of value to be exchanged and leveraged; and
                    ``(B) to encourage international research centers 
                and international companies to participate in the 
                development of marine energy technology in the United 
                States and to encourage United States research centers 
                and companies to participate in marine energy projects 
                abroad.
    ``(b) Cost Sharing and Merit Review.--The Secretary shall carry out 
the program under this section in accordance with sections 988 and 989 
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352, 16353).''.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MARINE ENERGY CENTERS.

    Section 634 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17213) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``renewable energy 
        research, development, and demonstration'' and inserting 
        ``energy'';
            (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (3) by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(a) Centers.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
        institutions of higher education for--
                    ``(A) the continuation and expansion of research, 
                development, and testing activities at National Marine 
                Energy Centers established as of January 1, 2019; and
                    ``(B) the establishment of new National Marine 
                Energy Centers.
            ``(2) Criteria.--In selecting locations for new National 
        Marine Energy Centers to be established under paragraph (1)(B), 
        the Secretary shall consider sites that meet one of the 
        following criteria:
                    ``(A) The new Center hosts an existing marine 
                energy research and development program in coordination 
                with an engineering program at an institution of higher 
                education.
                    ``(B) The new Center has proven expertise to 
                support environmental and policy-related issues 
                associated with the harnessing of energy in the marine 
                environment.
                    ``(C) The new Center has access to and uses marine 
                resources.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The National Marine Energy Centers shall 
coordinate with other National Marine Energy Centers, the Department, 
and the National Laboratories--
            ``(1) to advance research, development, and demonstration 
        of marine energy technologies;
            ``(2) to support in-water testing and demonstration of 
        marine energy technologies, including facilities capable of 
        testing--
                    ``(A) marine energy systems of various technology 
                readiness levels and scales;
                    ``(B) a variety of technologies in multiple test 
                berths at a single location; and
                    ``(C) arrays of technology devices; and
            ``(3) to serve as information clearinghouses for the marine 
        energy industry by collecting and disseminating information on 
        best practices in all areas relating to developing and managing 
        marine energy resources and energy systems.
    ``(c) Cost Sharing.--The Secretary shall carry out the program 
under this section in accordance with section 988(b)(4) of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(b)(4)).''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 636 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17215) is amended by striking ``$50,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2008 through 2012'' and inserting ``$150,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2020 and 2021''.
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