1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Wind Energy Research and Development Act of 2019 . 2. Wind energy technology, research, development and testing program (a) In general The Secretary of Energy (in this Act, referred to as the Secretary ) shall carry out a program to conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation of wind energy technologies. In carrying out such program, the Secretary shall award grants under this section and sections 3, 4, and 5 on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities for each of the following purposes: (1) To improve the energy efficiency, reliability, resilience, security, and capacity of wind energy generation. (2) To optimize the design and control of wind energy systems for the broadest practical range of atmospheric conditions. (3) To reduce the cost and risk of permitting, construction, operation, and maintenance of wind energy systems, including technologies to reduce environmental and community impacts, improve grid integration and reduce regulatory barriers. (4) To improve materials, engineering, and manufacturing processes for turbines, including supersized turbines. (5) To optimize wind plant performance and integration within hybrid energy systems to enhance cost efficiency and electric grid stability and resilience. (b) Wind energy research subject areas The program established under subsection (a) shall focus on the research, development, testing, and evaluation of each of the following subject areas: (1) Wind power plant performance and operations including— (A) wind flows and turbine-to-turbine interactions; (B) energy conversion potential; (C) turbine and wind plant control paradigms; (D) turbine and wind plant security; (E) turbine components; and (F) integrated hybrid plant systems. (2) New materials and designs related to blades, rotors, towers and drivetrains including— (A) higher tip speed rotor designs; (B) low-noise rotor designs; (C) advanced drivetrain and generator concepts