42 U.S.C. § 17215 — National Marine Energy Centers

(a) In general: The Secretary must award grants, each up to $10,000,000 a year, to universities or groups of universities to (1) keep running and grow the National Marine Energy Centers that already existed as of January 1, 2020, and (2) set up new Centers. (b) Location selection: When picking universities for new Centers, the Secretary must consider whether the institution already runs a marine energy research program, has proven technical expertise, and has access to marine resources. (c) Purposes: The Centers must coordinate with each other, the Department, and National Laboratories to (1) advance marine energy research based on industry needs; (2) support in-water testing and demonstration — including facilities that can test technology at different readiness levels and scales, multiple technologies at once, arrays of devices, and grid interconnection including microgrids; and (3) collect and share best practices for developing and managing marine energy. (d) Coordination: The Centers must coordinate with the Secretary of Commerce (through the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere) and other relevant agencies as much as practical. (e) Termination: The Secretary may cut off funding for a Center that is underperforming, as far as the law otherwise allows.