PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 98.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 17, 2011
Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011 - Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the program of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technology research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to: (1) apply advanced systems engineering and system integration methods to identify critical interfaces and develop open standards for marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy; (2) transfer the resulting environmental data to industry stakeholders as public information through published interface definitions, standards, and demonstration projects; and (3) develop incentives for industry to comply with such standards.
Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to award competitive grants to support modifying or constructing three or more geographically dispersed marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technology research, development, and demonstration test facilities for the demonstration of multiple technologies in actual operating environments.
Renames the "National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers" as the "National Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers" and expands their research and clearinghouse duties to include hydrokinetic as well as marine renewable energy research. Authorizes such Centers to serve as technology test facilities.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires the Secretary to establish a marine-based energy device verification program to provide a bridge from the marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy capture device design and development efforts underway across the industry to commercial deployment of such devices.
Requires the Secretary to establish a grant program to: (1) advance the development of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy; (2) help fund the costs of environmental analysis affecting the deployment of marine hydrokinetic devices; (3) help eligible entities to collect the types of environmental data that are required when working in a public resource, monitor the impacts of demonstration projects, and make the resulting information available for dissemination to aid future projects; and (4) help fund the cost of advancing renewable marine and hydrokinetic technologies in ocean and riverine environments from demonstration projects to development and deployment.
Authorizes appropriations for marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies through FY2014.
Revises the meaning of "renewable energy project" to exclude Alaska small hydroelectric power.
People & committees
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · R–AK
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 98.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 112-31.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 112-31.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-26.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1841-1842)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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