[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 41 (Thursday, March 17, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1841-S1842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself and Mr. Begich):
  S. 630. A bill to promote marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy 
research and development, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to introduce legislation that is 
designed to speed up the development of renewable ocean energy--wave, 
current and tidal energy--across the nation and also in my home State 
of Alaska. The Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011 is 
cosponsored by my colleague from Alaska, Senator Begich.
  Since 2004 I have had a strong interest in working to promote the 
research and development of marine hydrokinetic energy--the effort to 
produce electricity from waves, current and tidal energy--all of which 
is indirectly driven by the sun. With 70 percent of our planet covered 
with water, marine hydrokinetic energy has the potential to be a major 
source of the world's clean, non-carbon emitting power in the future.
  The Electric Power Research Institute has estimated that our Nation's 
ocean resources could generate 252 million megawatt hours of 
electricity--63 percent of our entire electricity generation--if ocean 
energy gained the same financial and research incentives currently 
enjoyed by other forms of renewable energy.
  In the 2005 Energy Policy Act, we started the process of leveling the 
playing field. In that bill, Congress authorized Federal research and 
included ocean energy in both the federal renewable energy purchase 
requirements and the federal production incentives. In the 2007 Energy 
Independence and Security Act, we authorized ocean energy research and 
demonstration centers. In 2008, we finally qualified ocean energy

[[Page S1842]]

to receive a renewable energy Production Tax Credit, although 
unfortunately at a lower rate than some other renewable energy 
resources receive.
  The Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011, along with a 
related tax measure that I will discuss next, seeks to increase the 
industry's growth through additional federal aid. Specifically, the 
bill authorizes the Department of Energy to expand its research and 
development efforts on marine hydrokinetic energy via advanced 
engineering and integration systems. It further authorizes the 
Department to transfer environmental data throughout the industry in 
order to expedite environmental assessments and demonstration project 
approvals. The legislation calls for the creation of three testing 
facilities to be developed by states, universities, or non-profit 
entities to test marine hydrokinetic technology.
  Importantly, the legislation directs the development of a Federal 
Marine-Based Energy Device Verification program. Through this program, 
the government will be able to certify the performance of new marine 
technologies in order to reduce market risks for utilities purchasing 
power from new devices. The bill also authorizes the Federal government 
to set up an adaptive management program and a fund to help pay for the 
regulatory permitting and development of new marine technologies. This 
program should help demonstration projects to win permitting approvals.
  This bill further amends Section 803 from the Energy Independence and 
Security Act. This was a provision I had authored in that 2007 energy 
bill to create a renewable energy deployment grants program for all 
forms of renewable energy. That program has never been funded because 
it has been inaccurately perceived as an Alaska-only program. The 
amendments make clear that the renewable energy grants program is 
national in scope and is available to assist projects in high-cost 
areas, where power costs exceed 125 percent of the national average.
  The Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011 is very 
similar to marine and hydrokinetic provisions that won the approval of 
the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last Congress and 
were included in S. 1462, the American Clean Energy Leadership Act. 
This bill, however, is far less expensive, authorizing up to $225 
million in aid over 3 years to jump start marine hydrokinetic power--
substantially less than the $3.25 billion authorized by the original 
legislation. Moreover, the spending authorized in this legislation is 
offset via the reprogramming of previously un-utilized Congressional 
authorizations.
  Coming from Alaska where there are more than 80 large communities 
located along the State's 34,000 miles of coastline and major river 
systems, it is clear that perfecting marine energy could be of immense 
benefit to the Nation. It simply makes good sense to harness the power 
of the sun, wind, waves, and river and ocean currents to make 
electricity. When the fuel is free, it's obviously economic to harness 
its power.
  This legislation is designed to aid development nationally, but also 
in Alaska where several companies already have proposed test projects 
in the Yukon and Tanana Rivers and in Cook Inlet, along with Kachemak 
Bay and Inside Passage waters. Projects are under consideration at 
Eagle, Galena, Ruby, Tanana, in addition to near Anchorage, with others 
being considered near Homer and in Southeast.
  This bill would allow the marine industry to be on a level playing 
field with other renewables such as wind, solar and geothermal power, 
all of which have received large budget increases in the President's 
fiscal year 2012 budget proposal. It would truly help the industry 
prove whether the technology can achieve the technical success and the 
economies of scale needed for it to become a major component of the 
nation's energy mix. I hope that Congress will give real consideration 
to the Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011, as well as 
the other bills that I am introducing today to aid hydroelectric 
development throughout the country.
                                 ______