The Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Board established under section 13522 of this title, shall prepare a management plan for the conduct of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of energy technologies that is consistent with the goals stated in section 13401 of this title.

The management plan under subsection (a) shall provide for—

(1) investigation of promising energy and energy efficiency resource technologies that have been identified as potentially significant future contributors to national energy security;

(2) development of energy and energy efficiency resource technologies that have the potential to reduce energy supply vulnerability, and to minimize adverse impacts on the environment, the global climate, and the economy; and

(3) creation of opportunities for export of energy and energy efficiency resource technologies from the United States that can enhance the Nation’s competitiveness.

As part of the management plan, the Secretary, with the advice of the Advisory Board established under section 13522 of this title, shall develop an inventory and status report of technologies to enhance energy supply and to improve the efficiency of energy end uses. The inventory and status report shall include fossil, renewable, nuclear, and energy conservation technologies which have not yet achieved the status of fully reliable and cost-competitive commercial availability, but which the Secretary projects may become available with additional research, development, and demonstration. The inventory and status report shall provide, for each technology—

an assessment of its—

(A) degree of technological maturity; and

(B) principal research, development, and demonstration issues, including— (i) the barriers posed by capital, operating, and maintenance costs; (ii) technical performance; and (iii) potential environmental impacts;

(2) the projected time frame for commercial availability, specifying at a minimum whether the technology will be commercially available in the near-term, mid-term, or long-term, whether there are too many uncertainties to project availability, or whether it is unlikely that the technology will ever be commercial; and

(3) a projection of the future cost-competitiveness of the technology in comparison with alternative technologies to provide the same energy service.

The Secretary shall publish the proposed management plan for a written public comment period of at least 90 days. The Secretary shall consider such comments and include a summary thereof in the management plan.

Within one year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall submit the first management plan under this section to Congress. Thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a revised management plan biennially, at the time of submittal of the President’s annual budget submission to the Congress.

(Pub. L. 102–486, title XXIII, § 2304, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3093.)