,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bffj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,october #bb1 #bjai,ms4 ,smith 7for herself and ,ms4 ,collins7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to establish a grant program for wind energy research1 development1 and demonstration1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,wind ,energy ,research and ,development ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 an institution of higher education2 7,b7 a ,national ,laboratory2 7,c7 a ,federal research agency2 7,d7 a ,state research agency2 7,e7 a nonprofit research organization2 7,f7 an industrial entity2 and 7,g7 a consortium of two or more entities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,f74 7#b7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74 7#c7 ,national ,laboratory ,the term ,national ,laboratory has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aehja74 7#d7 ,program ,the term program means the program established under section #c7;a74 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,energy4 7#f7 ,supersized turbine ,the term supersized turbine means a #ab-megawatt or greater wind turbine that typically has a tower height greater than #adj meters and blades greater than #ge meters4 #c4 ,wind energy technology1 research1 development1 and testing grant program 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a program under which the ,secretary shall award grants on a competitive1 merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities to conduct research1 development1 testing1 and evaluation of wind energy technologies in accordance with this section4 7#b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of the program are the following3 7,a7 ,to improve the energy efficiency1 reliability1 resilience1 security1 and capacity of wind energy generation4 7,b7 ,to optimize the design and control of wind energy systems for the broadest practical range of atmospheric conditions4 7,c7 ,to reduce the cost and risk of permitting1 construction1 operation1 and maintenance of wind energy systems1 including using technologies to reduce environmental and community impacts1 improve grid integration1 and reduce regulatory barriers4 7,d7 ,to improve materials1 engineering1 and manufacturing processes for turbines1 including supersized turbines4 7,e7 ,to optimize wind plant performance and integration within hybrid energy systems to enhance cost efficiency and electric grid stability and resilience4 7#c7 ,coordination ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall coordinate activities under the program with other relevant programs and capabilities of the ,department of ,energy and other ,federal research programs4 7b7 ,grant subject areas ,in addition to awarding the grants described in subsections 7c7 through 7e71 the ,secretary shall award grants under the program to eligible entities to carry out research1 development1 testing1 and evaluation in the following subject areas3 7#a7 ,wind power plant performance and operations1 including-- 7,a7 wind flows and turbine-to-turbine interactions2 7,b7 energy conversion potential2 7,c7 turbine and wind plant control paradigms2 7,d7 turbine and wind plant security2 7,e7 turbine components2 and 7,f7 integrated hybrid plant systems4 7#b7 ,new materials and designs relating to blades1 rotors1 towers1 and drivetrains1 including-- 7,a7 higher tip speed rotor designs2 7,b7 low-noise rotor designs2 7,c7 advanced drivetrain and generator concepts2 7,d7 modular construction and onsite or near-site manufacturing and assembly techniques1 including the use of additive manufacturing2 7,e7 sustainable and recyclable materials1 including thermoplastics1 and manufacturing systems2 7,f7 supersized turbine design and installation approaches2 and 7,g7 lightweight materials4 7#c7 ,offshore wind-specific projects1 including-- 7,a7 fixed and floating substructure concepts2 7,b7 projects to assess and mitigate the impacts of hurricane wind flow1 freshwater ice1 and other conditions specific to the ,united ,states2 7,c7 innovative operations and maintenance strategies2 7,d7 analysis of offshore meteorological1 geological1 and oceanographic data collection2 7,e7 offshore infrastructure monitoring2 and 7,f7 analysis of corrosion and fatigue for the purpose of extending the design life of offshore wind turbine substructures4 7#d7 ,recycling and reuse of wind energy components4 7#e7 ,wind power forecasting and atmospheric measurement systems1 including for turbines and plant systems of varying height4 7#f7 ,distributed wind-specific projects1 including-- 7,a7 cost-effective turbine designs1 components1 and manufacturing2 and 7,b7 microgrid applications4 7#g7 ,advanced transportation mechanisms for wind turbine components4 7#h7 ,transformational technologies for harnessing wind energy1 including airborne wind energy concepts4 7#i7 ,methods to extend the operational lifetime of onshore and offshore wind turbines and systems4 7#aj7 ,other research areas1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,wind energy technology validation and market transformation grants 7#a7 ,demonstration projects ,in carrying out the program1 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-based1 offshore1 and distributed applications4 7#b7 ,facility for hybrid energy system research grants ,in carrying out the program1 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 sources1 loads1 and storage technologies4 7#c7 ,offshore research facility grants 7,a7 ,in general ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to establish a facility to conduct research1 development1 and demonstration projects1 in coordination with the oceanic and atmospheric science communities1 for ocean and atmospheric resource characterization relevant to offshore wind energy development4 7,b7 ,facility requirements ,a facility established using a grant under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be an offshore facility used to evaluate1 test1 and advance atmospheric1 oceanic1 biologic1 and geologic monitoring technologies that improve offshore wind energy development1 including the generation of benchmark data sets for testing offshore wind energy technologies and informing how those technologies may be financed1 insured1 and regulated4 7#d7 ,offshore support structure testing facility grants ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to establish a facility to conduct research1 development1 and demonstration projects for large-scale and full-scale offshore wind energy support structure components and systems1 with an emphasis on innovative structures1 including floating substructures4 7#e7 ,applications ,an eligible entity seeking a grant under this subsection shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including1 in the case of an application for a grant under paragraph 7#a71 a certification that the proposed demonstration project shall be-- 7,a7 conducted in collaboration with industry and1 as appropriate1 with institutions of higher education and other ,federal research programs2 and 7,b7 of sufficient size and geographic diversity to measure wind energy system performance under the full productive range of wind conditions in the ,united ,states4 7d7 ,wind energy incubator grants ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to support innovative technologies that are not significantly represented in-- 7#a7 the portfolio of wind energy research activities carried out by the ,secretary as of the date of enactment of this ,act2 or 7#b7 technology roadmaps used by the ,department of ,energy as of that date4 7e7 ,mitigating regulatory and market barrier grants 7#a7 ,in general ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to research1 develop1 test1 and evaluate ways to reduce regulatory and market barriers to the widespread adoption of wind power1 including-- 7,a7 grid transmission and integration challenges2 and 7,b7 permitting issues associated with the potential impacts of wind power systems on wildlife1 radar systems1 local communities1 military operations1 and airspace4 7#b7 ,wildlife impact mitigation ,of the grants awarded under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall ensure that a substantial portion include the development1 testing1 and evaluation of wildlife impact mitigation technologies or strategies to reduce the potential impacts of wind energy facilities on-- 7,a7 bald and golden eagles2 7,b7 bat species2 7,c7 marine wildlife2 and 7,d7 other impacted species4 7f7 ,education and outreach ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall support education and outreach activities to disseminate information and promote public understanding of wind technologies and the wind energy workforce1 including the ,collegiate ,wind ,competition4 7g7 ,wages ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 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 locality1 as determined by the ,secretary of ,labor1 in accordance with subchapter ,,iv of chapter #ca of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out the program-- 7#a7 #ajc1fib1jjj for fiscal year #bjbj2 7#b7 #ajh1hgf1fjj for fiscal year #bjba2 7#c7 #aad1cbj1dcj for fiscal year #bjbb2 7#d7 #abj1jcf1deb for fiscal year #bjbc2 and 7#e7 #abf1jch1bgd for fiscal year #bjbd4 #d4 ,conforming amendments 7#a7 ,section #d of the ,renewable ,energy and ,energy ,efficiency ,technology ,competitiveness ,act of #aihi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abjjc7 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7i7 by striking paragraph 7#a72 and 7ii7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d71 respectively2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7c71 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking the ,wind ,energy ,research ,program14 7#b7 ,section #ica7;a77#b7 of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #afbca7;a77#b77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking subparagraph 7,b72 and 7,b7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,c7 through 7,e7 as subparagraphs 7,b7 through 7,d71 respectively4 7#c7 ,section #fcf of the ,energy ,independence and ,security ,act of #bjjg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agbae7 is amended by striking section #ica7;a77#b77;,e77i7 and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting subparagraph 7,d77i7 of section #ica7;a77#b7 of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #afbca7;a77#b7744