The Secretary is authorized to initiate a program to design, construct, and operate well instrumented ocean thermal energy conversion facilities of sufficient size to demonstrate the technical feasibility and potential economic feasibility of utilizing the various forms of ocean thermal energy conversion to displace nonrenewable fuels. To achieve the goals of this section and to facilitate development of a strong industrial basis for the application of ocean thermal energy conversion system technology, at least two independent parallel demonstration projects shall be competitively selected.
The specific goals of the demonstration program shall include at a minimum-
In providing any financial assistance under this section, the Secretary shall (1) give full consideration to those projects which will provide energy to United States offshore States, its territories, and its possessions and (2) seek satisfactory cost-sharing arrangements when he deems such arrangements to be appropriate.
42 U.S.C. § 9004
- Secretary
- "Secretary" means the Secretary of Energy.
- energy product equivalent
- "energy product equivalent" means an energy carrier including, but not limited to, ammonia, hydrogen, or molten salts or an energy-intensive commodity, including, but not limited to, electrometals, fresh water, or nutrients for aquaculture; and
- ocean thermal energy conversion
- "ocean thermal energy conversion" means a method of converting part of the heat from the Sun which is stored in the surface layers of a body of water into electrical energy or energy product equivalent;