
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC12003]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
     CHAPTER 125--RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY TECHNOLOGY 
                             COMPETITIVENESS
 
Sec. 12003. National goals and multi-year funding for Federal 
        wind, photovoltaics, and solar thermal programs
        

(a) National goals

    The following are declared to be the national goals for the wind, 
photovoltaics, and solar thermal energy programs being carried out by 
the Secretary:

                              (1) Wind

        (A) In general, the goals for the Wind Energy Research Program 
    include improving design methodologies and developing more reliable 
    and efficient wind turbines to increase the cost competitiveness of 
    wind energy. Research efforts shall emphasize--
            (i) activities that address near-term technical problems and 
        assist private sector exploitation of market opportunities of 
        the wind energy industry;
            (ii) developing technologies such as advanced airfoils and 
        variable speed generators to increase wind turbine output and 
        reduce maintenance costs by decreasing structural stress and 
        fatigue;
            (iii) increasing the basic knowledge of aerodynamics, 
        structural dynamics, fatigue, and electrical systems 
        interactions as applied to wind energy technology; and
            (iv) improving the compatibility of electricity produced 
        from wind farms with conventional utility needs.

        (B) Specific goals for the Wind Energy Research Program shall be 
    to--
            (i) reduce average wind energy costs to 3 to 5 cents per 
        kilowatt hour by 1995;
            (ii) reduce capital costs of new wind energy systems to $500 
        to $750 per kilowatt of installed capacity by 1995;
            (iii) reduce operation and maintenance costs for wind energy 
        systems to less than one cent per kilowatt hour by 1995; and
            (iv) increase capacity factors for new wind energy systems 
        to 25 to 35 percent by 1995.

                          (2) Photovoltaics

        (A) In general, the goals of the Photovoltaic Energy Systems 
    Program shall include improving the reliability and conversion 
    efficiencies of and lowering the costs of photovoltaic conversion. 
    Research efforts shall emphasize advancements in the performance, 
    stability, and durability of photovoltaic materials.
        (B) Specific goals of the Photovoltaic Energy Systems Program 
    shall be to--
            (i) improve operational reliability of photovoltaic modules 
        to 30 years by 1995;
            (ii) increase photovoltaic conversion efficiencies by 20 
        percent by 1995;
            (iii) decrease new photovoltaic module direct manufacturing 
        costs to $800 per kilowatt by 1995; and
            (iv) increase cost efficiency of photovoltaic power 
        production to 10 cents per kilowatt hour by 1995.

                          (3) Solar thermal

        (A) In general, the goal of the Solar Thermal Energy Systems 
    Program shall be to advance research and development to a point 
    where solar thermal technology is cost-competitive with conventional 
    energy sources, and to promote the integration of this technology 
    into the production of industrial process heat and the conventional 
    utility network. Research and development shall emphasize 
    development of a thermal storage technology to provide capacity for 
    shifting power to periods of demand when full insolation is not 
    available; improvement in receivers, energy conversion devices, and 
    innovative concentrators using stretch membranes, lenses, and other 
    materials; and exploration of advanced manufacturing techniques.
        (B) Specific goals of the Solar Thermal Energy Systems Program 
    shall be to--
            (i) reduce solar thermal costs for industrial process heat 
        to $9.00 per million Btu by 1995; and
            (ii) reduce average solar thermal costs for electricity to 4 
        to 5 cents per kilowatt hour by 1995.

                      (4) Alcohol from biomass

        (A) In general, the goal of the Alcohol From Biomass Program 
    shall be to advance research and development to a point where 
    alcohol from biomass technology is cost-competitive with 
    conventional hydrocarbon transportation fuels, and to promote the 
    integration of this technology into the transportation fuel sector 
    of the economy.
        (B)(i) Specific goals for producing ethanol from biomass shall 
    be to--
            (I) reduce the cost of alcohol to 70 cents per gallon;
            (II) improve the overall biomass carbohydrate conversion 
        efficiency to 91 percent;
            (III) reduce the capital cost component of the cost of 
        alcohol to 23 cents per gallon; and
            (IV) reduce the operating and maintenance component of the 
        cost of alcohol to 47 cents per gallon.

        (ii) Specific goals for producing methanol from biomass shall be 
    to--
            (I) reduce the cost of alcohol to 47 cents per gallon; and
            (II) reduce the capital component of the cost of alcohol to 
        16 cents per gallon.

                       (5) Other technologies

        The Secretary shall submit to the Congress, as part of the first 
    report submitted under section 12006 of this title, recommendations 
    for specific cost goals and other pertinent goals for 1995 for 
    Department of Energy research, development, and demonstration 
    programs in Biofuels Energy Systems, Biodiesel Energy Systems, 
    Hydrogen Energy Systems, Solar Buildings Energy Systems, Ocean 
    Energy Systems, Geothermal Energy Systems, Low-Head Hydro, and 
    Energy Storage Systems.

(b) Amended goals

    Whenever the Secretary determines that any of the goals established 
under this section is no longer appropriate, the Secretary shall notify 
Congress, as part of a report submitted under section 12006 of this 
title, of the reason for the determination and provide an amended goal 
that is consistent with the purpose stated in section 12001(b) of this 
title.

(c) Authorizations

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the 
following renewable energy research, development, and demonstration 
programs: the Wind Energy Research Program, the Photovoltaic Energy 
Systems Program, the Solar Thermal Energy Systems Program, the Biofuels 
Energy Systems Program, the Hydrogen Energy Systems Program, the Solar 
Buildings Energy Systems Program, the Ocean Energy Systems Program, and 
the Geothermal Energy Systems Program--
        (1) not to exceed $113,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, of which--
            (A) not to exceed $39,000,000 shall be available for the 
        Photovoltaic Energy Systems Program;
            (B) not to exceed $19,000,000 shall be available for the 
        Geothermal Energy Systems Program; and
            (C) not to exceed $4,000,000 shall be available for the 
        Hydrogen Energy Systems Program; and

        (2) not to exceed $121,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, of which--
            (A) not to exceed $40,000,000 shall be available for the 
        Photovoltaic Energy Systems Program;
            (B) not to exceed $20,500,000 shall be available for the 
        Geothermal Energy Systems Program; and
            (C) not to exceed $5,000,000 shall be available for the 
        Hydrogen Energy Systems Program.

Each of the President's annual budget requests submitted to Congress 
after December 11, 1989, shall include as separate line items each of 
the categories of renewable energy programs described in this 
subsection.

(Pub. L. 101-218, Sec. 4, Dec. 11, 1989, 103 Stat. 1860; Pub. L. 102-
486, title XII, Sec. 1202(b), title XXI, Sec. 2125(1)-(3), Oct. 24, 
1992, 106 Stat. 2958, 3085.)


                               Amendments

    1992--Subsec. (a)(4), (5). Pub. L. 102-486, Sec. 1202(b)(1), added 
par. (4), redesignated former par. (4) as (5), and inserted ``Biodiesel 
Energy Systems,'' after ``Biofuels Energy Systems,''.
    Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 102-486, Sec. 2125(1)-(3), struck out par. 
(3) which read as follows: ``not to exceed $124,000,000 for fiscal year 
1993, of which--
        ``(A) not to exceed $40,000,000 shall be available for the 
    Photovoltaic Energy Systems Program;
        ``(B) not to exceed $23,000,000 shall be available for the 
    Geothermal Energy Systems Program; and
        ``(C) not to exceed $6,000,000 shall be available for the 
    Hydrogen Energy Systems Program.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 12001 of this title.
