Sec. 3. Wind energy technology, research, development, and testing grant program
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The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall award grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities to conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation of wind energy technologies in accordance with this section. The purposes of the program are the following: To improve the energy efficiency, reliability, resilience, security, and capacity of wind energy generation. To optimize the design and control of wind energy systems for the broadest practical range of atmospheric conditions.
To reduce the cost and risk of permitting, construction, operation, and maintenance of wind energy systems, including using technologies to reduce environmental and community impacts, improve grid integration, and reduce regulatory barriers. To improve materials, engineering, and manufacturing processes for turbines, including supersized turbines. To optimize wind plant performance and integration within hybrid energy systems to enhance cost efficiency and electric grid stability and resilience.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate activities under the program with other relevant programs and capabilities of the Department of Energy and other Federal research programs. In addition to awarding the grants described in subsections
(c)through (e), the Secretary shall award grants under the program to eligible entities to carry out research, development, testing, and evaluation in the following subject areas: Wind power plant performance and operations, including— wind flows and turbine-to-turbine interactions; energy conversion potential; turbine and wind plant control paradigms; turbine and wind plant security; turbine components; and integrated hybrid plant systems. New materials and designs relating to blades, rotors, towers, and drivetrains, including— higher tip speed rotor designs; low-noise rotor designs; advanced drivetrain and generator concepts; modular construction and onsite or near-site manufacturing and assembly techniques, including the use of additive manufacturing; sustainable and recyclable materials, including thermoplastics, and manufacturing systems; supersized turbine design and installation approaches; and lightweight materials. Offshore wind-specific projects, including— fixed and floating substructure concepts; projects to assess and mitigate the impacts of hurricane wind flow, freshwater ice, and other conditions specific to the United States; innovative operations and maintenance strategies; analysis of offshore meteorological, geological, and oceanographic data collection; offshore infrastructure monitoring; and analysis of corrosion and fatigue for the purpose of extending the design life of offshore wind turbine substructures. Recycling and reuse of wind energy components. Wind power forecasting and atmospheric measurement systems, including for turbines and plant systems of varying height. Distributed wind-specific projects, including— cost-effective turbine designs, components, and manufacturing; and microgrid applications. Advanced transportation mechanisms for wind turbine components. Transformational technologies for harnessing wind energy, including airborne wind energy concepts. Methods to extend the operational lifetime of onshore and offshore wind turbines and systems. Other research areas, as determined by the Secretary. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to carry out demonstration projects that demonstrate and validate new wind energy technologies that have the potential to be cost-competitive for land-based, offshore, and distributed applications. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to establish a facility or support an existing facility in conducting research and demonstration projects for wind turbines and plants in hybrid energy systems that incorporate diverse generation sources, loads, and storage technologies. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to establish a facility to conduct research, development, and demonstration projects, in coordination with the oceanic and atmospheric science communities, for ocean and atmospheric resource characterization relevant to offshore wind energy development. A facility established using a grant under subparagraph
(A)shall be an offshore facility used to evaluate, test, and advance atmospheric, oceanic, biologic, and geologic monitoring technologies that improve offshore wind energy development, including the generation of benchmark data sets for testing offshore wind energy technologies and informing how those technologies may be financed, insured, and regulated. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to establish a facility to conduct research, development, and demonstration projects for large-scale and full-scale offshore wind energy support structure components and systems, with an emphasis on innovative structures, including floating substructures. An eligible entity seeking a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including, in the case of an application for a grant under paragraph (1), a certification that the proposed demonstration project shall be— conducted in collaboration with industry and, as appropriate, with institutions of higher education and other Federal research programs; and of sufficient size and geographic diversity to measure wind energy system performance under the full productive range of wind conditions in the United States. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to support innovative technologies that are not significantly represented in— the portfolio of wind energy research activities carried out by the Secretary as of the date of enactment of this Act; or technology roadmaps used by the Department of Energy as of that date. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to research, develop, test, and evaluate ways to reduce regulatory and market barriers to the widespread adoption of wind power, including— grid transmission and integration challenges; and permitting issues associated with the potential impacts of wind power systems on wildlife, radar systems, local communities, military operations, and airspace. Of the grants awarded under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that a substantial portion include the development, testing, and evaluation of wildlife impact mitigation technologies or strategies to reduce the potential impacts of wind energy facilities on— bald and golden eagles; bat species; marine wildlife; and other impacted species. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall support education and outreach activities to disseminate information and promote public understanding of wind technologies and the wind energy workforce, including the Collegiate Wind Competition. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors on projects funded by grants under this section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on projects of a similar character in the locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor, in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program— $103,692,000 for fiscal year 2020; $108,876,600 for fiscal year 2021; $114,320,430 for fiscal year 2022; $120,036,452 for fiscal year 2023; and $126,038,274 for fiscal year 2024.