---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 16313"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "16313"
heading: "Solar Fuels Research Initiative"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/16313"
units:
  - "Chapter 149 — National Energy Policy and Programs"
  - "Subchapter IX — Research and Development"
  - "Part G — Science"
---

# §16313. Solar Fuels Research Initiative

- (a) **Initiative—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall carry out a research initiative, to be known as the “Solar Fuels Research Initiative” (referred to in this section as the “Initiative”) to expand theoretical and fundamental knowledge of photochemistry, electrochemistry, biochemistry, and materials science useful for the practical development of experimental systems to convert solar energy to chemical energy.
  - (2) **Leveraging—** In carrying out programs and activities under the Initiative, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall leverage expertise and resources from—
    - (A) the Basic Energy Sciences Program and the Biological and Environmental Research Program of the Office of Science; and
    - (B) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
  - (3) **Teams—**
    - (A) **In general—** In carrying out the Initiative, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall organize activities among multidisciplinary teams to leverage, to the maximum extent practicable, expertise from the [National Laboratories](/usc/42/15801.md?p=3), institutions of higher education, and the private sector.
    - (B) **Goals—** The multidisciplinary teams described in [subparagraph (A)](#a-3-A) shall pursue aggressive, milestone-driven, basic research goals.
    - (C) **Resources—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall provide sufficient resources to the multidisciplinary teams described in [subparagraph (A)](#a-3-A) to achieve the goals described in [subparagraph (B)](#a-3-B) over a period of time to be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4).
  - (4) **Additional activities—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) may organize additional activities under this subsection through Energy Frontier Research Centers, Energy Innovation Hubs, or other organizational structures.
- (b) **Artificial photosynthesis—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall carry out under the Initiative a program to support research needed to bridge scientific barriers to, and discover knowledge relevant to, artificial photosynthetic systems.
  - (2) **Activities—** As part of the program described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1)—
    - (A) the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences shall support basic research to pursue distinct lines of scientific inquiry, including—
      - (i) photoinduced production of hydrogen and oxygen from water; and
      - (ii) the sustainable photoinduced reduction of carbon dioxide to fuel products including hydrocarbons, alcohols, carbon monoxide, and natural gas; and
    - (B) the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy shall support translational research, development, and validation of physical concepts developed under the program.
  - (3) **Standard of review—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall review activities carried out under the program described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) to determine the achievement of technical milestones.
  - (4) **Funds—** Of the funds authorized to be appropriated for basic energy sciences in a fiscal year, there is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) to carry out activities under this subsection $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
- (c) **Biochemistry, replication of natural photosynthesis, and related processes—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall carry out under the Initiative a program to support research needed to replicate natural photosynthetic processes by use of artificial photosynthetic components and materials.
  - (2) **Activities—** As part of the program described in [paragraph (1)](#c-1)—
    - (A) the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences shall support basic research to expand fundamental knowledge to replicate natural synthesis processes, including—
      - (i) the photoinduced reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia;
      - (ii) the absorption of carbon dioxide from ambient air;
      - (iii) molecular-based charge separation and storage;
      - (iv) photoinitiated electron transfer; and
      - (v) catalysis in biological or biomimetic systems;
    - (B) the Associate [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of Biological and Environmental Research shall support systems biology and genomics approaches to understand genetic and physiological pathways connected to photosynthetic mechanisms; and
    - (C) the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy shall support translational research, development, and validation of physical concepts developed under the program.
  - (3) **Standard of review—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall review activities carried out under the program described in [paragraph (1)](#c-1) to determine the achievement of technical milestones.
  - (4) **Funds—** Of the funds authorized to be appropriated for basic energy sciences in a fiscal year, there is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) to carry out activities under this subsection $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 973, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 902; Pub. L. 115–246, title III, § 303(f)(1), formerly § 303(d)(1), Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3141, renumbered § 303(f)(1), Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title I, § 10102(a)(1), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1409; Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title I, § 10102(b), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1414.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10102(b)(1), added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “No funds allocated to the program described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for commercial application of energy technology.”

Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 117–167, § 10102(b)(2), added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “No funds allocated to the program described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for commercial application of energy technology.”

2018—Pub. L. 115–246 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to catalysis research program.