§17215 National Marine Energy Centers

Summary

The Secretary must give grants, each up to $10,000,000 per year, to colleges or groups of colleges. The money is for keeping and growing National Marine Energy Centers that existed on January 1, 2020, and for starting new Centers. When choosing new Centers, the Secretary must look at whether the school already has a marine energy program, has technical skill in the area, and can access marine resources. The Centers must work together and with the Department and National Laboratories to push marine energy research and move technology toward commercial use. They must support in-water testing and demonstrations, including facilities that can test different sizes and readiness levels, multiple technologies at one site, arrays of devices, and connections to electrical grids (including microgrids). They must collect and share best practices and, where possible, coordinate with the Commerce Department and other federal agencies. If a Center is under-performing, the Secretary can stop its funding if other laws allow.