the supply of nonrenewable fuels in the United States is slowly being depleted;

alternative sources of energy must be developed;

ocean thermal energy is a renewable energy resource that can make a significant contribution to the energy needs of the United States;

the technology base for ocean thermal energy conversion has improved over the past two years, and has consequently lowered the technical risk involved in constructing moderate-sized pilot plants with an electrical generating capacity of about ten to forty megawatts;