§ 15851. Assessment of renewable energy resources

(a) Resource assessment

Not later than 6 months after August 8, 2005, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall review the available assessments of renewable energy resources within the United States, including solar, wind, biomass, ocean (including tidal, wave, current, and thermal), geothermal, and hydroelectric energy resources, and undertake new assessments as necessary, taking into account changes in market conditions, available technologies, and other relevant factors.

(b) Contents of reports Not later than 1 year after August 8, 2005, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall publish a report based on the assessment under subsection (a). The report shall contain—

(1) a detailed inventory describing the available amount and characteristics of the renewable energy resources; and

(2) such other information as the Secretary believes would be useful in developing such renewable energy resources, including descriptions of surrounding terrain, population and load centers, nearby energy infrastructure, location of energy and water resources, and available estimates of the costs needed to develop each resource, together with an identification of any barriers to providing adequate transmission for remote sources of renewable energy resources to current and emerging markets, recommendations for removing or addressing such barriers, and ways to provide access to the grid that do not unfairly disadvantage renewable or other energy producers.

(c) Authorization of appropriations

For the purposes of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010.

(Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 201, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 650.)