[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3165 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3165

  To provide for a program of wind energy research, development, and 
                 demonstration, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2009

  Mr. Tonko introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on Science and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for a program of wind energy research, development, and 
                 demonstration, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Wind Energy Research and Development 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. WIND ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a program 
of research and development to--
            (1) improve the energy efficiency, reliability, and 
        capacity of wind turbines;
            (2) optimize the design and adaptability of wind energy 
        systems to the broadest practical range of atmospheric 
        conditions; and
            (3) reduce the cost of construction, generation, and 
        maintenance of wind energy systems.
    (b) Program.--The program under this section shall focus on 
research and development of--
            (1) new materials and designs to make larger, lighter, less 
        expensive, and more reliable rotor blades;
            (2) technologies to improve gearbox performance and 
        reliability;
            (3) automation, materials, and assembly of large-scale 
        components to reduce manufacturing costs;
            (4) low-cost transportable towers greater than 100 meters 
        in height to capitalize on improved wind conditions at higher 
        elevations;
            (5) advanced computational modeling tools to improve--
                    (A) the reliability of aeroelastic simulations of 
                wind energy systems; and
                    (B) understanding of the interaction between each 
                wind turbine component;
            (6) advanced control systems and blade sensors to improve 
        performance and reliability under a wide variety of wind 
        conditions;
            (7) advanced generators, including--
                    (A) medium-speed and low-speed generators;
                    (B) direct-drive technology; and
                    (C) the use of advanced magnets in generator 
                rotors;
            (8) wind technology for offshore applications;
            (9) methods to assess and mitigate the effects of wind 
        energy systems on radar and electromagnetic fields; and
            (10) wind turbines with a maximum electric power production 
        capacity of 100 kilowatts or less.

SEC. 3. WIND ENERGY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a wind 
energy demonstration program. In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that--
            (1) the program is of sufficient size to measure wind 
        energy system performance under the full productive range of 
        wind conditions in the United States;
            (2) demonstration projects carried out under this program 
        are conducted in collaboration with industry; and
            (3) data collected from demonstration projects carried out 
        under this program is useful for carrying out section 2(b).
    (b) Cost-Sharing.--The Secretary shall carry out the program under 
this section in compliance with section 988(a) through (d) and section 
989 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(a) through (d) 
and 16353).

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy 
to carry out this Act $200,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2010 
through 2014.
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