42 U.S.C. § 9004 — Pilot and demonstration plants

(a) Initiation of program. The Secretary may start a program to design, build, and run well-monitored ocean thermal energy conversion facilities. These must be big enough to show the technology can work, and could work economically, to replace nonrenewable fuels. To build a strong industry around this technology, at least two independent, parallel demonstration projects must be picked through competition. (b) Demonstration program goals. The program must aim at least to: (1) prove the technology works through pilot and demonstration plants totaling at least 100 megawatts of electricity or an equal energy product by 1986; (2) deliver base-load electricity to utilities, or produce commercially useful amounts of energy product; and (3) run each demonstration plant long enough to collect and study performance and reliability data. (c) Financial assistance. When giving financial help under this section, the Secretary must: (1) fully consider projects that would supply energy to U.S. offshore states, territories, and possessions; and (2) look for fair cost-sharing deals when the Secretary thinks that is appropriate.