§9004 Pilot and Demonstration Plants

Summary

The Secretary may start a program to design, build, and run ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants with good measuring equipment to show whether OTEC can work technically and might be economical enough to replace nonrenewable fuels. At least two separate, parallel demonstration projects must be chosen by competition. The program must include multiple pilot plants that together reach at least 100 megawatts of electrical capacity (or the same amount in other energy products) by 1986, deliver steady electricity to land utilities or produce commercially useful energy, and run long enough without stopping to collect performance and reliability data. When giving money for projects, the Secretary must fully consider ones that supply U.S. offshore States, territories, and possessions, and should seek cost-sharing when appropriate.