§ 2151d — Development Of Indigenous Energy Resources

(A) The Congress finds that energy development and production are vital elements in the development process, that energy shortages in developing countries severely limit the development process in such countries, that two-thirds of the developing countries which import oil depend on it for at least 90 percent of the energy which their economies require, and that the dramatic increase in world oil prices since 1973 has resulted in considerable economic hardship for many developing countries. The Congress is concerned that the value and purpose of much of the assistance provided to developing countries under sections 2151a, 2151b, and 2151c of this title are undermined by the inability of many developing countries to satisfy their energy requirements. Unless the energy deficit of the developing countries can be narrowed by more fully exploiting indigenous sources of energy such as oil, natural gas, and coal, scarce foreign exchange will increasingly have to be diverted to oil imports, primarily to the detriment of long-term development and economic growth. (B) The Congress recognizes that many developing countries lack access to the financial resources and technology necessary to locate, explore, and develop indigenous energy resources. (C) The Congress declares that there is potential for at least a moderate increase by 1990 in the production of energy for commercial use in the developing countries which are not members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. In addition, there is a compelling need for vigorous efforts to improve the available data on the location, scale, and commercial exploitability of potential oil, natural gas, and coal reserves in developing countries, especially those which are not members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The Congress further declares that there are many benefits to be gained by the developing countries and by the United States and other developed countries through expanded efforts to expedite the location, exploration, and development of potential sources of energy in developing countries. These benefits include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) The world’s energy supply would be increased and the fear of abrupt depletion would be lessened with new energy production. This could have a positive impact upon energy prices in international markets as well as a positive effect upon the balance of payments problems of many developing countries. (ii) Diversification of the world’s supplies of energy from fossil fuels would make all countries, developing and developed, less susceptible to supply interruptions and arbitrary production and pricing policies. (iii) Even a moderate increase in energy production in the developing countries would improve their ability to expand commercial trade, foreign investment, and technology transfer possibilities with the United States and other developed countries. (D) Assistance for the production of energy from indigenous resources, as authorized by subsection (b) of this section, would be of direct benefit to the poor in developing countries because of the overwhelming impact of imported energy costs upon the lives of the poor and their ability to participate in development. (2) The Congress also finds that energy production from renewable, decentralized sources and energy conservation are vital elements in the development process. Inadequate access by the poor to energy sources as well as the prospect of depleted fossil fuel reserves and higher energy prices require an enhanced effort to expand the energy resources of developing countries through greater emphasis on renewable sources. Renewable and decentralized energy technologies have particular applicability for the poor, especially in rural areas. (1) In order to help developing countries alleviate their energy problems by improving their ability to use indigenous energy resources to produce the energy needed by their economies, the President is authorized to furnish assistance, on such terms and conditions as he may determine, to enable such countries to prepare for and undertake development of their energy resources. Such assistance may include data collection and analysis, the training of skilled personnel, research on and development of suitable energy sources, and pilot projects to test new methods of energy production. (2) The President is authorized to furnish assistance under this part for cooperative programs with developing countries in energy production and conservation, through research on and development and use of small-scale, decentralized, renewable energy sources for rural areas carried out as integral parts of rural development efforts in accordance with section 2151a of this title. Such programs shall also be directed toward the earliest practicable development and use of energy technologies which are environmentally acceptable, require minimum capital investment, are most acceptable to and affordable by the people using them, are simple and inexpensive to use and maintain, and are transferable from one region of the world to another. Such programs may include research on and the development, demonstration, and application of suitable energy technologies (including use of wood); analysis of energy uses, needs, and resources; training and institutional development; and scientific interchange. (c) The agency primarily responsible for administering subchapter I of this chapter and the Department of Energy shall coordinate with one another, to the maximum extent possible, the planning and implementation of energy programs under this part. (d) The President is authorized to furnish assistance, on such terms and conditions as he may determine, for the following activities, to the extent that such activities are not authorized by sections 2151a, 2151b, and 2151c of this title: (1) programs of technical cooperation and development, particularly the development efforts of United States private and voluntary agencies and regional and international development organizations; (2) programs of research into, and evaluation of, the process of economic development in less developed countries and areas, into the factors affecting the relative success and costs of development activities, and into the means, techniques, and such other aspects of development assistance as the President may determine in order to render such assistance of increasing value and benefit; (3) programs of reconstruction following natural or manmade disasters and programs of disaster preparedness, including the prediction of and contingency planning for natural disasters abroad; (4) programs designed to help solve special development problems in the poorest countries and to make possible proper utilization of infrastructure and related projects funded with earlier United States assistance; and (5) programs of urban development, with particular emphasis on small, labor intensive enterprises, marketing systems for small producers, and financial and other institutions which enable the urban poor to participate in the economic and social development of their country. (e) There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal years 2021 through 2023 to finance cooperative projects among the United States, Israel, and developing countries that identify and support local solutions to address sustainability challenges relating to water resources, agriculture, and energy storage, including— (1) establishing public-private partnerships; (2) supporting the identification, research, development testing, and scaling of innovations that focus on populations that are vulnerable to environmental and resource-scarcity crises, such as subsistence farming communities; (3) seed or transition-to-scale funding; (4) clear and appropriate branding and marking of United States funded assistance, in accordance with section 2401 of this title; and (5) accelerating demonstrations or applications of local solutions to sustainability challenges, or the further refinement, testing, or implementation of innovations that have previously effectively addressed sustainability challenges.