54-63.1-05. Clean sustainable energy program - Powers and duties of the commission

54-63.1-05. Clean sustainable energy program - Powers and duties of the commission. 1. The commission is granted all the powers necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, including the power to: a. Provide grants, loans, or other forms of financial assistance to qualified entities for the research, demonstration, development, and commercialization of projects, processes, activities, and technologies that reduce environmental impacts and use energy sources derived from within the state. Other forms of financial assistance include venture capital investments and interest rate buydowns. The commission must require an entity to provide assurance of financial and other types of support that demonstrate a commitment to the project, process, activity, or technology. The commission may develop policies for the approval of loans or loan guarantees issued from the clean sustainable energy fund. b. Enter into contracts or agreements to carry out the purposes of this chapter, including contracting for the administration of the program. c. Keep accurate records of all financial transactions performed under this chapter. d. Cooperate with any private, local, state, or national organization to make contracts and agreements for programs that advance the mission of the program. e. Accept loan repayments, donations, grants, contributions, or gifts from any public or private source to carry out the purposes of this chapter, which must be deposited in the clean sustainable energy fund. f. Make guidelines necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, including guidelines relating to the ownership of intellectual property. g. Borrow from the Bank of North Dakota, as authorized by the legislative assembly, to make loans or loan guarantees under a loan program or loan guarantee program developed by the clean sustainable energy authority. 2. The commission may acquire, purchase, hold, use, lease, license, sell, transfer, or dispose of any interest in an asset necessary for clean sustainable energy technology development to facilitate the production, transportation, distribution, or delivery of clean energy commodities produced in the state as a purchases of last resort. 3. The commission shall provide administrative support to the authority for the operation of the program, including the preparation of forms, review of applications, and ongoing review of any contracts. The commission may contract with a public or private entity to provide technical assistance necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter.