Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Part C · Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security
§ 17213. Hydropower research, development, and demonstration
Statutory text
The Secretary shall conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for technologies that improve the capacity, efficiency, resilience, security, reliability, affordability, and environmental impact, including potential cumulative environmental impacts, of hydropower systems. In carrying out such program, the Secretary shall prioritize activities designed to—
develop technology for—
non-powered dams, including aging and potentially hazardous dams;
pumped storage;
constructed waterways;
new stream-reach development;
modular and small dams;
increased operational flexibility; and
enhancement of relevant existing facilities;
develop new strategies and technologies, including analytical methods, physical and numerical tools, and advanced computing, as well as methods to validate such methods and tools, in order to—
extend the operational lifetime of hydropower systems and their physical structures, while improving environmental impact, including potential cumulative environmental impacts;
assist in device and system design, installation, operation, and maintenance; and
reduce costs, limit outages, and increase unit and plant efficiencies, including by examining the impact of changing water and electricity demand on hydropower generation, flexibility, and provision of grid services;
study, in conjunction with other relevant Federal agencies as appropriate, methods to improve the hydropower licensing process, including by compiling current and accepted best practices, public comments, and methodologies to assess the full range of potential environmental and economic impacts;
identify opportunities for joint research, development, and demonstration programs between hydropower systems, which may include—
pumped storage systems and other renewable energy systems;
small hydro facilities and other energy storage systems;
other hybrid energy systems;
small hydro facilities and critical infrastructure, including water infrastructure; and
hydro facilities and responsive load technologies, which may include smart buildings and city systems;
improve the reliability of hydropower technologies, including during extreme weather events;
develop methods and technologies to improve environmental impact, including potential cumulative environmental impacts, of hydropower and pumped storage technologies, including potential impacts on wildlife, such as—
fisheries;
aquatic life and resources;
navigation of waterways; and
upstream and downstream environmental conditions, including sediment movement, water quality, and flow volumes;
identify ways to increase power generation by—
diversifying plant configuration options;
improving pump-back efficiencies;
investigating multi-phase systems;
developing, testing, and monitoring advanced generators with faster cycling times, variable speeds, and improved efficiencies;
developing, testing, and monitoring advanced turbines capable of improving environmental impact, including potential cumulative environmental impacts, including small turbine designs;
developing standardized powertrain components;
developing components with advanced materials and manufacturing processes, including additive manufacturing; and
developing analytical tools that enable hydropower to provide grid services that, amongst other services, improve grid integration of other energy sources;
advance new pumped storage technologies, including—
systems with adjustable speed and other new pumping and generating equipment designs;
modular systems;
alternative closed-loop systems, including mines and quarries; and
other innovative equipment and materials as determined by the Secretary;
reduce civil works costs and construction times for hydropower and pumped storage systems, including comprehensive data and systems analysis of hydropower and pumped storage construction technologies and processes in order to identify areas for whole-system efficiency gains;
advance efficient and reliable integration of hydropower and pumped storage systems with the electric grid by—
improving methods for operational forecasting of renewable energy systems to identify opportunities for hydropower applications in pumped storage and hybrid energy systems, including forecasting of seasonal and annual energy storage;
considering aggregating small distributed hydropower assets; and
identifying barriers to grid scale implementation of hydropower and pumped storage technologies;
improve computational fluid dynamic modeling methods;
improve flow measurement methods, including maintenance of continuous flow measurement equipment;
identify best methods for compiling data on all hydropower resources and assets, including identifying potential for increased capacity; and
identify mechanisms to test and validate performance of hydropower and pumped storage technologies.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Research and Development Act
Pub. L. 110–140 title VI § 634 · 121 Stat. 1492
Enacted · 42 U.S.C. § 17213
(Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 634, as added Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, § 3001(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2480.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 634, as added Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, § 3001(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2480.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
SEC. 634. NATIONAL MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION CENTERS. (a) Centers.— The Grants. Secretary 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 consider sites that meet one of the following criteria: (1) Hosts an existing marine renewable energy research and development program in coordination with an engineering program at an institution of higher education. (2) Has proven expertise to support environmental and policy-related issues associated with harnessing of energy in the marine environment. (3) Has access to and utilizes the marine resources in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, or the Pacific Ocean. The Secretary may give special consideration to historically black colleges and universities and land grant universities that also meet one of these criteria. In establishing criteria for the selection of the Centers, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, on the criteria related to ocean waves, tides, and currents including those for advancing wave forecasting technologies, ocean temperature differences, and studying the compatibility of marine renewable energy technologies and systems with the environment, fisheries, and other marine resources. (b) Purposes.— The Centers shall advance research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of marine renewable energy, 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. (c) Demonstration of Need.— When applying for a grant under this section, an applicant shall include a description of why Federal support is necessary for the Center, including evidence that the research of the Center will not be conducted in the absence of Federal support.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 17213, Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 634, , 121 Stat. 1687, related to National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers, prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 116–260.
Credits
(Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 634, as added Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, § 3001(a), , 134 Stat. 2480.)