---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17214"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17214"
heading: "Marine energy research, development, and demonstration"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17214"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter V — Accelerated Research and Development"
  - "Part C — Water Power Research and Development"
---

# §17214. Marine energy research, development, and demonstration

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3), in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Defense, [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Commerce (acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere) and other relevant Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), shall conduct a [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technology, including activities to—
  - (1) assist technology development to improve the components, processes, and systems used for power generation from [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) resources at a variety of scales;
  - (2) establish and expand critical testing infrastructure and facilities necessary to—
    - (A) demonstrate and prove [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) devices at a range of scales in a manner that is cost-effective and efficient; and
    - (B) accelerate the technological readiness and commercial application of such devices;
  - (3) address [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) resource variability issues, including through the application of energy storage technologies;
  - (4) advance efficient and reliable integration of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) with the electric grid, which may include smart building systems;
  - (5) identify and study critical short-term and long-term needs to maintaining a sustainable [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) supply chain based in the United States;
  - (6) increase the reliability, security, and resilience of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technologies;
  - (7) validate the performance, reliability, maintainability, and cost of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) device designs and system components in an operating environment;
  - (8) consider the protection of critical infrastructure, such as adequate separation between [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) devices and submarine telecommunications cables, including through the development of voluntary, consensus-based standards for such purposes;
  - (9) identify opportunities for crosscutting research, development, and demonstration [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) between existing energy research [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5);
  - (10) identify and improve, in conjunction with the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Commerce, acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and other relevant Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) as appropriate, the environmental impact, including potential cumulative environmental impacts, of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technologies, including—
    - (A) potential impacts on fisheries and other marine resources; and
    - (B) developing technologies, including mechanisms for self-evaluation, and other means available for improving environmental impact, including potential cumulative environmental impacts;
  - (11) identify, in consultation with relevant Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), potential navigational impacts of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technologies and strategies to prevent possible adverse impacts, in addition to opportunities for [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) systems to aid the United States Coast Guard, such as remote sensing for coastal border security;
  - (12) develop numerical and physical tools, including models and monitoring technologies, to assist industry in device and system design, installation, operation, and maintenance, including methods to validate such tools;
  - (13) support materials science as it relates to [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technology, such as the development of corrosive-resistant materials;
  - (14) improve [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) resource forecasting and general understanding of aquatic system behavior, including turbulence and extreme conditions;
  - (15) develop metrics and voluntary, consensus-based standards, in coordination with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and appropriate standard development organizations, for [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) components, systems, and [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), including—
    - (A) measuring performance of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technologies; and
    - (B) characterizing environmental conditions;
  - (16) enhance integration with hybrid energy systems, including desalination;
  - (17) identify opportunities to integrate [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technologies into new and existing infrastructure; and
  - (18) to[^1] develop technology necessary to support the use of [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3)—
    - (A) for the generation and storage of power at sea; and
    - (B) for the generation and storage of power to promote the resilience of coastal communities, including in applications relating to—
      - (i) desalination;
      - (ii) [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) recovery and resilience; and
      - (iii) community [microgrids](/usc/42/17211.md?p=6) in isolated power systems.
- (b) **Study of non-power sector applications for advanced marine energy technologies—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3), in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Transportation and the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Commerce, shall conduct a study to examine opportunities for research and development in advanced [marine energy](/usc/42/17211.md?p=3) technologies for non-power sector applications, including applications with respect to—
    - (A) the maritime transportation sector;
    - (B) associated maritime energy infrastructure, including infrastructure that serves ports, to improve system resilience and [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) recovery; and
    - (C) enabling scientific missions at sea and in extreme environments, including the Arctic.
  - (2) **Report—** Not later than 1 year after December 27, 2020, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report that describes the results of the study conducted under [paragraph (1)](#b-1).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 635, as added Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, § 3001(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2482.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 17214, Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 635, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1688, related to applicability of other laws, prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 116–260.