Marine Renewable Energy Research and Development Act of 2007 - Instructs the Secretary of Energy to support research and demonstration programs to expand marine renewable energy production, including: (1) study and comparison of existing marine renewable energy extraction technologies; (2) investigation of utility grid and intermittency issues; (3) increased survivability of marine renewable energy extraction technologies, including development of corrosive-resistant materials; (4) a study of environmental impacts of such technologies and ways to address adverse impacts; and (5) establishment of protocols, in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for how the ocean community may best interact with marine renewable energy devices.
Directs the Secretary to develop siting criteria for marine renewable energy generation projects prior to installation of such technologies.
Directs the Secretary to award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia of them) to establish National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers to serve as information clearinghouses for the marine renewable energy industry, collecting and disseminating information on best practices related to developing and managing enhanced marine renewable energy systems resources.
Authorizes the Secretary to give special consideration to historically black colleges and universities and land grant universities that meet prescribed criteria.
Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012, excluding certain ocean energy programs already receiving funds under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2313 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2313
To establish research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application programs for marine renewable energy technologies.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 15, 2007
Ms. Hooley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application programs for marine renewable energy technologies.
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 Renewable Energy Research and
Development Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States has a critical national interest in
developing clean, domestic, renewable sources of energy in
order to reduce other environmental impacts of energy
production, increase national security, improve public health,
and bolster economic stability.
(2) Marine renewable energy is a nonpolluting energy
resource.
(3) Marine renewable energy may serve as an alternative to
fossil fuels and create thousands of new jobs within the United
States.
(4) Europe has already successfully delivered electricity
to the grid through the deployment of wave and tidal energy
devices off the coast of Scotland.
(5) Recent studies from the Electric Power Research
Institute, in conjunction with the Department of Energy's
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, have identified an
abundance of viable sites within the United States with ample
wave, tidal, and thermal resources to be harnessed by marine
power technologies.
(6) Sustained and expanded research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application programs are needed
to locate and characterize marine renewable energy resources,
and to develop the technologies that will enable their
widespread commercial development.
(7) Federal support is critical to reduce the financial
risk associated with developing new marine renewable energy
technologies, thereby encouraging the private sector investment
necessary to make marine renewable energy resources
commercially viable as a source of electric power and for other
applications.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act--
(1) Marine renewable energy.--The term ``Marine Renewable
Energy'' means energy derived from one or more of the following
sources:
(A) Waves.
(B) Tidal flows.
(C) Ocean currents.
(D) Ocean thermal energy conversion.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 4. MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
The Secretary shall support programs of research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application to expand the use of marine
renewable energy production from marine renewable energy technology
systems, including programs to--
(1) explore and compare existing marine renewable energy
extraction technologies;
(2) research, develop, and demonstrate advanced marine
renewable energy systems and technologies;
(3) reduce the manufacturing and operation costs of marine
renewable energy technologies;
(4) investigate efficient and reliable integration with the
utility grid and intermittency issues;
(5) advance wave forecasting technologies;
(6) conduct experimental and numerical modeling for device
and marine energy conversion device array optimization;
(7) increase the reliability and survivability of marine
renewable energy facilities;
(8) study the compatibility with the environment of marine
renewable energy technologies and systems;
(9) establish protocols for how the ocean community best
interacts with marine renewable energy devices and parks;
(10) develop marine renewable energy power measurement and
identification standards; and
(11) address standards development, demonstration, and
technology transfer for advanced systems engineering and system
integration methods to identify critical interfaces.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND
DEMONSTRATION CENTERS.
(a) Centers.--The Secretary, acting through the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory, shall award grants to institutions of higher
education (or consortia thereof) for the establishment of 1 or more
National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development, and
Demonstration Centers. In selecting locations for Centers, the
Secretary shall choose at least 1 site from among sites that host an
existing marine renewable energy research and development program in
coordination with a public university engineering program.
(b) Purposes.--The Centers shall advance research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application of marine renewable energy
through a number of initiatives including for the purposes described in
section 4(1) through (11), and shall serve as an information
clearinghouse for the marine renewable energy industry, collecting and
disseminating information on best practices in all areas related to
developing and managing enhanced marine renewable energy systems
resources.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry
out this Act $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through
2012.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-202.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-202.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 121.
Hearing Held by Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Prior to Introduction and Referral (May 17, 2007).
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