Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§13479 Spark M. Matsunaga Renewable Energy and Ocean Technology Center

Title 42 › CHAPTER 134 — ENERGY POLICY › SUBCHAPTER IX — ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT › Part B — Electricity Generation and Use › § 13479

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates the Spark M. Matsunaga Renewable Energy and Ocean Technology Center at Keahole Point, Hawaii. The Center will do research, development, education, and share new technology on renewable energy, energy storage (including making hydrogen from renewables), materials for energy and marine use, and other ocean and environmental studies like sea ranching and global climate change. The Secretary may, not later than 180 days after October 24, 1992, approve a cooperative agreement with a qualified research institution in Hawaii to run the Center. The Center must match any Federal money with equal non‑Federal cash or in‑kind funds. Money may be appropriated as needed from sums authorized under section 13471(c).

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §13479

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Findings

The Congress finds that—

(1)the late Spark M. Matsunaga, United States Senator from Hawaii, was a longstanding champion of research and development of renewable energy, particularly wind and ocean energy, photovoltaics, and hydrogen fuels;

(2)it was Senator Matsunaga’s vision that renewable energy could provide a sustained source of non-polluting energy and that such forms of alternative energy might ultimately be employed in the production of liquid hydrogen as a transportation fuel and energy storage medium available as an energy export;

(3)Senator Matsunaga also believed that research on other aspects of renewable energy and ocean resources, such as advanced materials, could be crucial to full development of energy storage and conversion systems; and

(4)Keahole Point, Hawaii is particularly well-suited as a site to conduct renewable energy and associated marine research.

(b)Purpose

It is the purpose of this section to establish the facilities and equipment located at Keahole Point, Hawaii as a cooperative research and development facility, to be known as the Spark M. Matsunaga Renewable Energy and Ocean Technology Center.

(c)Establishment

The facilities and equipment located at Keahole Point, Hawaii are established as the Spark M. Matsunaga Renewable Energy and Ocean Technology Center (in this section referred to as the “Center”).

(d)Administration

(1)Not later than 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary may authorize a cooperative agreement with a qualified research institution to administer the Center.

(2)For the purpose of paragraph (1), a qualified research institution is a research institution located in the State of Hawaii that has demonstrated competence and will be the lead organization in the State in renewable energy and ocean technologies.

(e)Activities

The Center may carry out research, development, educational, and technology transfer activities on—

(1)renewable energy;

(2)energy storage, including the production of hydrogen from renewable energy;

(3)materials applications related to energy and marine environments;

(4)other environmental and ocean research concepts, including sea ranching and global climate change; and

(5)such other matters as the Secretary may direct.

(f)Matching funds

To be eligible for Federal funds under this section, the Center must provide funding in cash or in kind from non-Federal sources for each amount provided by the Secretary.

(g)Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section such sums as may be necessary, to be derived from sums authorized under section 13471(c) of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 13479

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110