---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6343"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6343"
heading: "Waste energy recovery incentive grant program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6343"
units:
  - "Chapter 77 — Energy Conservation"
  - "Subchapter III — Improving Energy Efficiency"
  - "Part C — Industrial Energy Efficiency"
---

# §6343. Waste energy recovery incentive grant program

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall establish in the Department of [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) a [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery incentive grant program to provide incentive grants to—
  - (1) [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) and operators of [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) that successfully produce electricity or incremental [useful thermal energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=7) from [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery;
  - (2) utilities purchasing or distributing the electricity; and
  - (3) [States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) that have achieved 80 percent or more of recoverable waste heat recovery opportunities.
- (b) **Grants to projects and utilities—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall make grants under this section—
    - (A) to the [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) or operators of [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4); and
    - (B) in the case of excess power purchased or transmitted by a [electric utility](/usc/42/6341.md?p=9), to the utility.
  - (2) **Proof—** Grants may only be made under this section on receipt of proof of [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery or excess electricity generation, or both, from the [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) in a form prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1).
  - (3) **Excess electric energy—**
    - (A) **In general—** In the case of [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery, a grant under this section shall be made at the rate of $10 per megawatt hour of documented electricity produced from [recoverable waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=5) (or by prevention of [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) in the case of a new facility) by the [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) during the first 3 calendar years of production, beginning on or after December 19, 2007.
    - (B) **Utilities—** If the [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) produces [net excess power](/usc/42/6341.md?p=3) and an [electric utility](/usc/42/6341.md?p=9) purchases or transmits the excess power, 50 percent of so much of the grant as is attributable to the [net excess power](/usc/42/6341.md?p=3) shall be paid to the [electric utility](/usc/42/6341.md?p=9) purchasing or transporting the [net excess power](/usc/42/6341.md?p=3).
  - (4) **Useful thermal energy—** In the case of [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery that produces [useful thermal energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=7) that is used for a purpose different from that for which the [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) is principally designed, a grant under this section shall be made to the [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) or operator of the [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) at the rate of $10 for each 3,412,000 Btus of the excess thermal energy used for the different purpose.
- (c) **Grants to States—** In the case of any [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) that has achieved 80 percent or more of waste heat recovery opportunities identified by the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) under this part, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) shall make a 1-time grant to the [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) in an amount of not more than $1,000 per megawatt of waste-heat capacity recovered (or a thermal equivalent) to support [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4)-level programs to identify and achieve additional [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5).
- (d) **Eligibility—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) establish rules and guidelines to establish eligibility for grants under [subsection (b)](#b);
  - (2) publicize the availability of the grant program known to [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) or operators of [recoverable waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=5) sources and sites listed on the [Registry](/usc/42/6341.md?p=6); and
  - (3) award grants under the program on the basis of the merits of each [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) in recovering or preventing [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) throughout the [United States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=5) on an impartial, objective, and not unduly discriminatory basis.
- (e) **Limitation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall not award grants to any [person](/usc/42/6202.md?p=2) for a combined heat and power [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) or a waste heat recovery [project](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) that qualifies for specific Federal tax incentives for combined heat and power or for waste heat recovery.
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1)—
  - (1) to make grants to [projects](/usc/42/6341.md?p=4) and utilities under [subsection (b)](#b)—
    - (A) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012; and
    - (B) such additional amounts for fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter as may be necessary for administration of the [waste energy](/usc/42/6341.md?p=8) recovery incentive grant program; and
  - (2) to make grants to [States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) under [subsection (b)](#b), $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012, to remain available until expended.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–163, title III, § 373, as added Pub. L. 110–140, title IV, § 451(a), Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1627.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6343, Pub. L. 94–163, title III, § 373, Dec. 22, 1975, 89 Stat. 936; Pub. L. 95–619, title VI, §§ 601(a), 691(b)(2), Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3282, 3288, related to identification of major energy-consuming industries and corporations in the United States, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–509, title III, § 3101(b), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1888.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.