WASHINGTON, DC— Rhode Island's Congressional delegation today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy is awarding a $15 million Recovery Act grant to Rhode Island LFG Genco, an affiliate of Ridgewood Renewable Power, to support the expansion of Ridgewood's landfill methane-capture electricity generation plant in Johnston.

The project will be the second-largest landfill gas-to-electricity generation facility in the United States. The project will generate 42 MW of power, and save an estimated 1.21 trillion Btu annually from the landfill gas that would otherwise be flared.

"This is a smart investment that will make a significant contribution to the state's renewable energy targets and is estimated to reduce CO2 output by nearly 165,000 tons per year," said Senator Jack Reed, who wrote a letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu in support of the project. "In addition to advancing national and state energy efficiency goals, this project will produce much needed "green" jobs when construction begins early next year."

"By turning Rhode Island's largest waste depository into a source of renewable energy, this project will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create new clean energy jobs for our Ocean State," said Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. In September, Whitehouse wrote to the U.S. Department of Energy to support the project.

"Federal investments are helping to create green jobs, promote new sources of energy, and protect our natural resources," said Representative Patrick Kennedy. "I am pleased this grant will help spur economic growth, put people back to work, and help the environment."

"I am excited that a Rhode Island renewable energy project was awarded stimulus funding and will create 100 new jobs here," said Langevin. "I look forward to watching this project progress and learning more about this technology to improve Rhode Island's environment."

The U.S. Department of Energy announced several new energy efficiency awards today - totaling approximately $150 million - which will be leveraged with $634 million in private industry cost share for a total project value of up to $785 million. These industrial efficiency projects will result in almost 14 trillion Btu in estimated energy savings, which is equivalent to over 112 million gallons of gasoline per year.