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            A. The secretary of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources or his designee, hereafter in this Chapter referred to as the “secretary,” shall develop and coordinate a program of research and development in solar energy supply, consumption, and conservation and the technology of siting facilities and shall give priority to those forms of research and development which are of particular importance to the state, including but not limited to all of the following:

            (1)(a) Expansion and accelerated development of alternative sources of energy, including geothermal and solar resources, including, but not limited to, participation in large-scale demonstrations of alternative energy systems sited in Louisiana in cooperation with federal agencies, regional compacts, other state governments, and other participants.

            (b) For purposes of this Paragraph, “participation” shall be defined as any of the following: direct interest in a project; research and development to insure acceptable resolution of environmental and other impacts of alternative energy systems; research and development to improve siting and permitting methodology for alternative energy systems; experiments utilizing the alternative energy systems; and research and development of appropriate methods to insure the widespread utilization of economically useful alternative energy systems.

            (c) “Large-scale demonstrations of alternative energy systems” are exemplified by the one hundred kilowatt to ten kilowatt range demonstrations of solar, wind, and geothermal systems contemplated by federal agencies, regional compacts, other state governments, and other participants.

            (2) Improved methods of construction, design, and operation of solar energy facilities.

            B. To accomplish the purposes of Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section, an amount not more than one-half of the total state funds appropriated for the solar energy research and development program shall be allocated for large-scale demonstration of alternative energy systems.

            Acts 1983, No. 705, §2, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 2023, No. 150, §5, eff. Jan. 10, 2024; Acts 2023, No. 455, §2, eff. June 28, 2023.