42 U.S.C. § 13313 — Renewable Energy Advancement Awards

(a) Authority: The Secretary must give out Renewable Energy Advancement Awards to recognize developments that move biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, photovoltaic, solar thermal, ocean thermal, and wind technologies toward practical use by consumers, utilities, or industry. Except as described in subsection (f), these awards include a cash prize. (b) Selection criteria: The Secretary, working with the Advisory Committee on Demonstration and Commercial Application of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technologies (the "Advisory Committee") set up under section 12005 of this title, must develop criteria for choosing award winners. These criteria must include: (1) how much the development increases renewable energy use; (2) how big an impact it has — by helping a lot of people, cutting the cost of an important industrial process, product, or service, or in some other way; (3) how clever the development is; (4) whether it has real export potential; and (5) how environmentally sound it is. (c) Selection: Starting in fiscal year 1994, and every year after that for 10 years, the Secretary, working with the Advisory Committee, must choose developments that deserve an award and give out those awards. (d) Eligibility: Only individuals who are U.S. nationals or permanent resident aliens, or non-federal organizations organized under U.S. or state law, can receive these awards. (e) Authorization of appropriations: Congress may provide the Secretary up to $50,000 each year for fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996 to run this program. (f) Awards made in absence of appropriations: If there isn't enough money for cash awards in a given fiscal year, the Secretary must give honorary awards instead.