[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1877 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1877

  To establish a research, development, and technology demonstration 
  program to improve the efficiency of gas turbines used in combined 
            cycle and simple cycle power generation systems.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 4, 2017

Mr. Tonko (for himself and Mr. McKinley) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a research, development, and technology demonstration 
  program to improve the efficiency of gas turbines used in combined 
            cycle and simple cycle power generation systems.

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

SECTION 1. HIGH EFFICIENCY GAS TURBINES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, through the Office of 
Fossil Energy, shall carry out a multiyear, multiphase program of 
research, development, and technology demonstration to improve the 
efficiency of gas turbines used in power generation systems and to 
identify the technologies that ultimately will lead to gas turbine 
combined cycle efficiency of 67 percent or simple cycle efficiency of 
50 percent.
    (b) Program Elements.--The program under this section shall--
            (1) support first-of-a-kind engineering and detailed gas 
        turbine design for megawatt-scale and utility-scale electric 
        power generation, including--
                    (A) high temperature materials, including 
                superalloys, coatings, and ceramics;
                    (B) improved heat transfer capability;
                    (C) manufacturing technology required to construct 
                complex three-dimensional geometry parts with improved 
                aerodynamic capability;
                    (D) combustion technology to produce higher firing 
                temperature while lowering nitrogen oxide and carbon 
                monoxide emissions per unit of output;
                    (E) advanced controls and systems integration;
                    (F) advanced high performance compressor 
                technology; and
                    (G) validation facilities for the testing of 
                components and subsystems;
            (2) include technology demonstration through component 
        testing, subscale testing, and full-scale testing in existing 
        fleets;
            (3) include field demonstrations of the developed 
        technology elements so as to demonstrate technical and economic 
        feasibility; and
            (4) assess overall combined cycle and simple cycle system 
        performance.
    (c) Program Goals.--The goals of the multiphase program established 
under subsection (a) shall be--
            (1) in phase I--
                    (A) to develop the conceptual design of advanced 
                high efficiency gas turbines that can achieve at least 
                65-percent combined cycle efficiency or 47-percent 
                simple cycle efficiency on a lower heating value basis; 
                and
                    (B) to develop and demonstrate the technology 
                required for advanced high efficiency gas turbines that 
                can achieve at least 65-percent combined cycle 
                efficiency or 47-percent simple cycle efficiency on a 
                lower heating value basis; and
            (2) in phase II, to develop the conceptual design for 
        advanced high efficiency gas turbines that can achieve at least 
        67-percent combined cycle efficiency or 50-percent simple cycle 
        efficiency on a lower heating value basis.
    (d) Proposals.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall solicit grant and contract proposals from 
industry, small businesses, universities, and other appropriate parties 
for conducting activities under this Act. In selecting proposals, the 
Secretary shall emphasize--
            (1) the extent to which the proposal will stimulate the 
        creation or increased retention of jobs in the United States; 
        and
            (2) the extent to which the proposal will promote and 
        enhance United States technology leadership.
    (e) Competitive Awards.--The provision of funding under this 
section shall be on a competitive basis with an emphasis on technical 
merit.
    (f) Cost Sharing.--Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16352) shall apply to an award of financial assistance made 
under this section.
    (g) Limits on Participation.--The limits on participation 
applicable under section 999E of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16375) shall apply to financial assistance awarded under this 
section.
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