Ridgewood, N.J.-based Ridgewood Renewable Power announced that it plans to expand its landfill gas to electricity project in Brea, Calif., to 35 megawatts, up from five megawatts.

Ridgewood Renewable, a private equity developer, owner and operator of clean energy assets, said the upgrade at the Olinda Alpha Landfill would cost $65 million.

The company said it would be the second largest landfill gas to electric generating facility in the U.S., with the new plant expected to produce enough electricity to supply power to 20,000 homes.

According to Ridgewood Renewable, the current system uses a combined cycle plant fueled by landfill gas generated by the natural decomposition of solid waste.

The new project will make use of landfill gas that cannot currently be converted to electricity in the existing facility, said the company.

Ridgewood said the renewable power plant would consist of four combustion turbine generators each of which will be equipped with heat recovery steam generators feeding a single steam turbine generator.

The company said it has signed a long term agreement to sell the output of the plant to Anaheim Public Utilities.

"With this agreement residents of Anaheim will now power their homes with electricity generated by refuse that originated in Anaheim," said Ridgewood.

Anaheim Public Utilities has a target of getting a minimum of 20 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2015, of which the new landfill gas project would be a significant part, according to Ridgewood.

Ridgewood said it has already filed applications for an air permit with South Coast Air Quality Management District and for the interconnection with Southern California Edison.

The company expects the plant to come on-line in the first quarter of 2010.