---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19291"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19291"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19291"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter VI — Miscellaneous Science and Technology Provisions"
  - "Part H — Energizing Technology Transfer"
---

# §19291. Definitions


In this part:

- (1) **Clean energy technology—** The term “clean energy technology” means a technology that significantly reduces energy use, increases energy efficiency, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, reduces emissions of other pollutants, or mitigates other negative environmental consequences of energy production, transmission or use.
- (2) **Department—** The term “Department” means the Department of Energy.
- (3) **Director—** The term “[Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1)” means the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of each [National Laboratory](#7) and the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of each [Department](#2) of Energy single-purpose research facility.
- (4) **Economically distressed area—** The term “economically distressed area” has the meaning described in [section 3161(a) of this title](/usc/42/3161.md?p=a).
- (5) **Grant—** The term “grant” means a grant award, cooperative agreement award, or any other financial assistance arrangement that the [Secretary](#8) of Energy determines to be appropriate.
- (6) **Institution of higher education—** The term “[institution of higher education](/usc/42/18901.md?p=13)” has the meaning given such term in [section 1001 of title 20](/usc/20/1001.md).
- (7) **National Laboratory—** The term “National Laboratory” has the meaning given that term in [section 15801 of this title](/usc/42/15801.md).
- (8) **Secretary—** The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Energy.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title VI, § 10701, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1701.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This part, referred to in text, was in the original “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle J (§§ 10701–10727) of title VI of div. B of Pub. L. 117–167, which is classified principally to this part. For complete classification of subtitle J to the Code, see Tables.