42 U.S.C. § 16215 — Electric transmission and distribution

Page 8806 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 16212 § 16212. High power density industry program (a) In general The Secretary shall establish a comprehensive research, development, demonstration, and com- mercial application to improve the energy effi- ciency of high power density facilities, including data centers, server farms, and telecommuni- cations facilities. (b) Technologies The program shall consider technologies that provide significant improvement in thermal controls, metering, load management, peak load reduction, or the efficient cooling of electronics. (Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 922, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 864.) § 16213. Micro-cogeneration energy technology (a) In general The Secretary shall make competitive, merit- based grants to consortia for the development of micro-cogeneration energy technology. (b) Uses The consortia shall explore— (1) the use of small-scale combined heat and power in residential heating appliances; (2) the use of excess power to operate other appliances within the residence; and (3) the supply of excess generated power to the power grid. (Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 923, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 865.) § 16214. Distributed energy technology dem- onstration programs (a) Coordinating consortia program The Secretary may provide financial assist- ance to coordinating consortia of interdiscipli- nary participants for demonstrations designed to accelerate the use of distributed energy tech- nologies (such as fuel cells, microturbines, re- ciprocating engines, thermally activated tech- nologies, and combined heat and power systems) in high-energy intensive commercial applica- tions. (b) Small-scale portable power program (1) In general The Secretary shall— (A) establish a research, development, and demonstration program to develop working models of small scale portable power de- vices; and (B) to the fullest extent practicable, iden- tify and utilize the resources of universities that have shown expertise with respect to advanced portable power devices for either civilian or military use. (2) Organization The universities identified and utilized under paragraph (1)(B) are authorized to estab- lish an organization to promote small scale portable power devices. (3) Definition For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘‘small scale portable power device’’ means a field-deployable portable mechanical or electromechanical device that can be used for applications such as communications, com- putation, mobility enhancement, weapons sys- tems, optical devices, cooling, sensors, med- ical devices, and active biological agent detec- tion systems. (Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 924, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 865.) § 16215. Electric transmission and distribution programs (a) Program The Secretary shall establish a comprehensive research, development, and demonstration pro- gram to ensure the reliability, efficiency, and environmental integrity of electrical trans- mission and distribution systems, which shall include— (1) advanced energy delivery technologies, energy storage technologies, materials, and systems, giving priority to new transmission technologies, including composite conductor materials and other technologies that enhance reliability, operational flexibility, or power- carrying capability; (2) advanced grid reliability and efficiency technology development; (3) technologies contributing to significant load reductions; (4) advanced metering, load management, and control technologies; (5) technologies to enhance existing grid components; (6) the development and use of high-tempera- ture superconductors to— (A) enhance the reliability, operational flexibility, or power-carrying capability of electric transmission or distribution sys- tems; or (B) increase the efficiency of electric en- ergy generation, transmission, distribution, or storage systems; (7) integration of power systems, including systems to deliver high-quality electric power, electric power reliability, and combined heat and power; (8) supply of electricity to the power grid by small scale, distributed and residential-based power generators; (9) the development and use of advanced grid design, operation, and planning tools; (10) the development of cost-effective tech- nologies that enable two-way information and power flow between distributed energy re- sources and the electric grid; (11) the development of technologies and concepts that enable interoperability between distributed energy resources and other behind- the-meter devices and the electric grid; (12) any other infrastructure technologies, as appropriate; and (13) technology transfer and education. (b) Program plan (1) In general Not later than 1 year after August 8, 2005, the Secretary, in consultation with other ap- propriate Federal agencies, shall prepare and Page 8807 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 16215 submit to Congress a 5-year program plan to guide activities under this section. (2) Consultation In preparing the program plan, the Sec- retary shall consult with— (A) utilities; (B) energy service providers; (C) manufacturers; (D) institutions of higher education; (E) other appropriate State and local agen- cies; (F) environmental organizations; (G) professional and technical societies; and (H) any other persons the Secretary con- siders appropriate. (c) Implementation The Secretary shall consider implementing the program under this section using a consor- tium of participants from industry, institutions of higher education, and National Laboratories. (d) Report Not later than 2 years after the submission of the plan under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report— (1) describing the progress made under this section; and (2) identifying any additional resources needed to continue the development and com- mercial application of transmission and dis- tribution of infrastructure technologies. (e) Power delivery research initiative (1) In general The Secretary shall establish a research, de- velopment, and demonstration initiative spe- cifically focused on power delivery using com- ponents incorporating high temperature superconductivity. (2) Goals The goals of the Initiative shall be— (A) to establish world-class facilities to de- velop high temperature superconductivity power applications in partnership with man- ufacturers and utilities; (B) to provide technical leadership for es- tablishing reliability for high temperature superconductivity power applications, in- cluding suitable modeling and analysis; (C) to facilitate the commercial transition toward direct current power transmission, storage, and use for high power systems using high temperature superconductivity; and (D) to facilitate the integration of very low impedance high temperature super- conducting wires and cables in existing elec- tric networks to improve system perform- ance, power flow control, and reliability. (3) Inclusions The Initiative shall include— (A) feasibility analysis, planning, research, and design to construct demonstrations of superconducting links in high power, direct current, and controllable alternating cur- rent transmission systems; (B) public-private partnerships to dem- onstrate deployment of high temperature superconducting cable into testbeds simu- lating a realistic transmission grid and under varying transmission conditions, in- cluding actual grid insertions; and (C) testbeds developed in cooperation with National Laboratories, industries, and insti- tutions of higher education to— (i) demonstrate those technologies; (ii) prepare the technologies for commer- cial introduction; and (iii) address cost or performance road- blocks to successful commercial use. (f) Transmission and distribution grid planning and operations initiative (1) In general The Secretary shall establish a research, de- velopment, and demonstration initiative spe- cifically focused on tools needed to plan, oper- ate, and expand the transmission and distribu- tion grids in the presence of competitive mar- ket mechanisms for energy, load demand, cus- tomer response, and ancillary services. (2) Goals The goals of the Initiative shall be— (A)(i) to develop and use a geographically distributed center, consisting of institutions of higher education, and National Labora- tories, with expertise and facilities to de- velop the underlying theory and software for power system application; and (ii) to ensure commercial development in partnership with software vendors and utili- ties; (B) to provide technical leadership in engi- neering and economic analysis for the reli- ability and efficiency of power systems plan- ning and operations in the presence of com- petitive markets for electricity; (C) to model, simulate, and experiment with new market mechanisms and operating practices to understand and optimize those new methods before actual use; and (D) to provide technical support and tech- nology transfer to electric utilities and other participants in the domestic electric industry and marketplace. (g) High-voltage transmission lines As part of the program described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall award a grant to a uni- versity research program to design and test, in consultation with the Tennessee Valley Author- ity, state-of-the-art optimization techniques for power flow through existing high voltage trans- mission lines. (Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 925, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 865; Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title VIII, § 8004(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2583.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2020—Subsec. (a)(10) to (13). Pub. L. 116–260 added pars. (10) and (11) and redesignated former pars. (10) and (11) as (12) and (13), respectively. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries COORDINATION OF EFFORTS Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title VIII, § 8006, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2586, provided that: ‘‘In carrying out the Page 8808 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 16231 amendments made by this title [enacting sections 16236, 17014, 17384a, 17387, and 17388 of this title and amending this section, section 17384 of this title and sections 3501 and 3502 of Title 25, Indians], the Sec- retary [probably means Secretary of Energy] shall co- ordinate with relevant entities to the maximum extent practicable, including— ‘‘(1) electric utilities; ‘‘(2) private sector entities; ‘‘(3) representatives of all sectors of the electric power industry; ‘‘(4) transmission organizations; ‘‘(5) transmission owners and operators; ‘‘(6) distribution organizations; ‘‘(7) distribution asset owners and operators; ‘‘(8) State, Tribal, local, and territorial govern- ments and regulatory authorities; ‘‘(9) academic institutions; ‘‘(10) the National Laboratories; ‘‘(11) other Federal agencies; ‘‘(12) nonprofit organizations; ‘‘(13) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; ‘‘(14) the North American Reliability Corporation; ‘‘(15) independent system operators; and ‘‘(16) programs and program offices at the Depart- ment.’’ PART C—RENEWABLE ENERGY § 16231. Renewable energy (a) In general (1) Objectives The Secretary shall conduct programs of re- newable energy research, development, dem- onstration, and commercial application, in- cluding activities described in this part. Such programs shall take into consideration the fol- lowing objectives: (A) Increasing the conversion efficiency of all forms of renewable energy through im- proved technologies. (B) Decreasing the cost of renewable en- ergy generation and delivery. (C) Promoting the diversity of the energy supply. (D) Decreasing the dependence of the United States on foreign energy supplies. (E) Improving United States energy secu- rity. (F) Decreasing the environmental impact of energy-related activities. (G) Increasing the export of renewable gen- eration equipment from the United States. (2) Programs (A) Geothermal The Secretary shall conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for geothermal en- ergy. The program shall focus on developing improved technologies for reducing the costs of geothermal energy installations, includ- ing technologies for— (i) improving detection of geothermal re- sources; (ii) decreasing drilling costs; (iii) decreasing maintenance costs through improved materials; (iv) increasing the potential for other revenue sources, such as mineral produc- tion; and (v) increasing the understanding of res- ervoir life cycle and management. (B) Hydropower The Secretary shall conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for cost competitive technologies that enable the development of new and incremental hydropower capacity, adding to the diversity of the energy supply of the United States, including: (i) Fish-friendly large turbines. (ii) Advanced technologies to enhance environmental performance and yield greater energy efficiencies. (C) Miscellaneous projects The Secretary shall conduct research, de- velopment, demonstration, and commercial application programs for— (i) ocean energy, including wave energy; (ii) the combined use of renewable en- ergy technologies with one another and with other energy technologies, including the combined use of wind power and coal gasification technologies; (iii) renewable energy technologies for cogeneration of hydrogen and electricity; and (iv) kinetic hydro turbines. (b) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out renewable energy re- search, development, demonstration, and com- mercial application activities, including activi- ties authorized under this part— (1) $632,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; (2) $743,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; (3) $852,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and (4) $963,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. (c) Bioenergy From the amounts authorized under sub- section (b), there are authorized to be appro- priated to carry out section 16232 of this title— (1) $213,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, of which $100,000,000 shall be for section 16232(d) of this title; (2) $377,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which $125,000,000 shall be for section 16232(d) of this title; (3) $398,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which $150,000,000 shall be for section 16232(d) of this title; and (4) $419,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which $150,000,000 shall be for section 16232(d) of this title. (d) Administration Of the funds authorized under subsection (c), not less than $5,000,000 for each fiscal year shall be made available for grants to— (1) part B institutions; (2) Tribal Colleges or Universities (as defined in section 1059c(b) of title 20); and (3) Hispanic-serving institutions. (e) Rural demonstration projects In carrying out this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall demonstrate the use of renewable energy technologies to assist in delivering electricity to rural and remote locations including — (1) advanced wind power technology, includ- ing combined use with coal gasification;