42 U.S. Code § 13387 - Innovative environmental technology transfer program

(a) Establishment of program

The Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, and in consultation with the interagency working group established under section 6276(d) of this title (in this section referred to as the “interagency working group”,[1] shall establish a technology transfer program to carry out the purposes described in subsection (b). Within 150 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development shall enter into a written agreement to carry out this section. The agreement shall establish a procedure for resolving any disputes between the Secretary and the Administrator regarding the implementation of specific projects. With respect to countries not assisted by the Agency for International Development, the Secretary may enter into agreements with other appropriate Federal agencies. If the Secretary and the Administrator, or the Secretary and an agency described in the previous sentence, are unable to reach an agreement, each shall send a memorandum to the President outlining an appropriate agreement. Within 90 days after receipt of either memorandum, the President shall determine which version of the agreement shall be in effect. Any agreement entered into under this subsection shall be provided to the appropriate committees of the Congress and made available to the public.

(b) Purposes of program

The purposes of the technology transfer program under this section are to—

(1) reduce the United States balance of trade deficit through the export of United States energy technologies and technological expertise;

(2) retain and create manufacturing and related service jobs in the United States;

(3) encourage the export of United States technologies, including services related thereto, to those countries that have a need for developmentally sound facilities to provide energy derived from technologies that substantially reduce environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases;

(4) develop markets for United States technologies, including services related thereto, that substantially reduce environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases, that meet the energy and environmental requirements of foreign countries;

(5) better ensure that United States participation in energy-related projects in foreign countries includes participation by United States firms as well as utilization of United States technologies;

(6) ensure the introduction of United States firms and expertise in foreign countries;

(7) provide financial assistance by the Federal Government to foster greater participation by United States firms in the financing, ownership, design, construction, or operation of technologies or services that substantially reduce environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases; and

(8) assist United States firms, especially firms that are in competition with firms in foreign countries, to obtain opportunities to transfer technologies to, or undertake projects in, foreign countries.

(c) Identification

Pursuant to the agreements required by subsection (a), the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, and after consultation with the interagency working group, United States firms, and representatives from foreign countries, shall develop mechanisms to identify potential energy projects in host countries that substantially reduce environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases, and shall identify a list of such projects within 240 days after October 24, 1992, and periodically thereafter.

(d) Financial mechanisms

(1) Pursuant to the agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, shall—

(A) establish appropriate financial mechanisms to increase the participation of United States firms in energy projects, and services related thereto, that substantially reduce environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases in foreign countries;

(B) utilize available financial assistance authorized by this section to counterbalance assistance provided by foreign governments to non-United States firms; and

(C) provide financial assistance to support projects.

(2) The financial assistance authorized by this section may be—

(A) provided in combination with other forms of financial assistance, including non-Federal funding that may be available for the project; and

(B) utilized in conjunction with financial assistance programs available through other Federal agencies.

(3) United States obligations under the Arrangement on Guidelines for Officially Supported Export Credits established through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shall be applicable to this section.

(e) Solicitations for project proposals

(1) Pursuant to the agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, within one year after October 24, 1992, and subsequently as appropriate thereafter, shall solicit proposals from United States firms for the design, construction, testing, and operation of the project or projects identified under subsection (c) which propose to utilize a United States technology or service. Each solicitation under this section shall establish a closing date for receipt of proposals.

(2) The solicitation under this subsection shall, to the extent appropriate, be modeled after the RFP No. DE–PS01–90FE62271 Clean Coal Technology IV, as administered by the Department of Energy.

(3) Any solicitation made under this subsection shall include the following requirements:

(A) The United States firm that submits a proposal in response to the solicitation shall have an equity interest in the proposed project.

(B) The project shall utilize a United States technology, including services related thereto, that substantially reduce environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases, in meeting the applicable energy and environmental requirements of the host country.

(C) Proposals for projects shall be submitted by and undertaken with a United States firm, although a joint venture or other teaming arrangement with a non-United States manufacturer or other non-United States entity is permissible.

(f) Assistance to United States firms

Pursuant to the agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, and in consultation with the interagency working group, shall establish a procedure to provide financial assistance to United States firms under this section for a project identified under subsection (c) where solicitations for the project are being conducted by the host country or by a multilateral lending institution.

(g) Other program requirements

Pursuant to the agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, and in consultation with the interagency working group, shall—

(1) establish eligibility criteria for countries that will host projects;

(2) periodically review the energy needs of such countries and export opportunities for United States firms for the development of projects in such countries;

(3) consult with government officials in host countries and, as appropriate, with representatives of utilities or other entities in host countries, to determine interest in and support for potential projects; and

(4) determine whether each project selected under this section is developmentally sound, as determined under the criteria developed by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

(h) Eligible technologies

Not later than 6 months after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall prepare a list of eligible technologies and services under this section. In preparing such a list, the Secretary shall consider fuel cell powerplants, aeroderivitive gas turbines and catalytic combustion technologies for aeroderivitive gas turbines, ocean thermal energy conversion technology, anaerobic digester and storage tanks, and other renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

(i) Selection of projects

(1) Pursuant to the agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, shall, not later than 120 days after receipt of proposals in response to a solicitation under subsection (e), select one or more proposals under this section.

(2) In selecting a proposal under this section, the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, shall consider—

(A) the ability of the United States firm, in cooperation with the host country, to undertake and complete the project;

(B) the degree to which the equipment to be included in the project is designed and manufactured in the United States;

(C) the long-term technical and competitive viability of the United States technology, and services related thereto, and the ability of the United States firm to compete in the development of additional energy projects using such technology in the host country and in other foreign countries;

(D) the extent of technical and financial involvement of the host country in the project;

(E) the extent to which the proposed project meets the purposes of this section;

(F) the extent of technical, financial, management, and marketing capabilities of the participants in the project, and the commitment of the participants to completion of a successful project in a manner that will facilitate acceptance of the United States technology or service for future application; and

(G) such other criteria as may be appropriate.

(3) In selecting among proposed projects, the Secretary shall seek to ensure that, relative to otherwise comparable projects in the host country, a selected project will meet the following criteria:

(A) It will reduce environmental emissions, including greenhouse gases, to an extent greater than required by applicable provisions of law.

(B) It will be a more cost-effective technological alternative, based on life cycle capital and operating costs per unit of energy produced and, where applicable, costs per unit of product produced.

(C) It will increase the overall efficiency of energy use.

Priority in selection shall be given to those projects which, in the judgment of the Secretary, best meet these criteria.

(j) United States-Asia Environmental Partnership

Activities carried out under this section shall be coordinated with the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership.

(k) Buy America

In carrying out this section, the Secretary, through the Agency for International Development, and pursuant to the agreements under subsection (a), shall ensure—

(1) the maximum percentage, but in no case less than 50 percent, of the cost of any equipment furnished in connection with a project authorized under this section shall be attributable to the manufactured United States components of such equipment; and

(2) the maximum participation of United States firms.

In determining whether the cost of United States components equals or exceeds 50 percent, the cost of assembly of such United States components in the host country shall not be considered a part of the cost of such United States component.

(l) Report to Congress

The Secretary and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development shall report annually to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives on the progress being made to introduce innovative energy technologies, and services related thereto, that substantially reduce environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases, into foreign countries.

(m) Definitions

For purposes of this section—

(1) the term “host country” means a foreign country which is—

(A) the participant in or the site of the proposed innovative energy technology project; and

(B) either—

(i) classified as a country eligible to participate in development assistance programs of the Agency for International Development pursuant to applicable law or regulation; or

(ii) a developing country; and

(2) the term “developing country” includes, but is not limited to, countries in Central and Eastern Europe or in the independent states of the former Soviet Union.

(n) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program required by this section, $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.

(Pub. L. 102–486, title XVI, § 1608, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3003.)