New cogeneration facility starts up

Mar. 8, 2012 – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Ameresco,
Inc., a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy
company, will hold a ceremonial Ribbon Cutting to mark the successful
operational startup of the DOE's new Biomass Cogeneration Facility in
Aiken, South Carolina at the Savannah River Site (SRS) on March 12, 2012.

Monday's 1:00 PM
event will culminate a 30-month investment of over 600,000 labor hours
to safely construct the new 34-acre renewable energy facility at SRS,
under the single largest renewable Energy Savings Performance Contract
(ESPC) in the Nation's history.

U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC); Tom D'Agostino, Under Secretary
for Nuclear Security & Administrator, National Nuclear Security
Administration; David Huizenga, Senior Advisor for Environmental
Management; Dave Moody, Manager, DOE-Savannah River; and George
Sakellaris, Ameresco President and Chief Executive Officer, will
participate in the ceremony.

The new high-tech Biomass Cogeneration Facility is the recent recipient
of the 2012 Excellence in Renewable Energy Award for the Biomass Project
of the Year as recognized by the Renewable Energy World Network of
Editors. This award-winning plant replaces a deteriorating, inefficient
coal powerhouse and the oil-fired boilers at SRS, and has the capacity
to combust 385,000 tons of forest residue annually into 20-megawatts of
clean power.

Media are encouraged to attend the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and should
contact Janet Griffin (via secure registration lines) at (803) 952-8467
or janet.griffin@srs.gov by close
of business, Thursday, March 8, with
the following information for Site badging: full name; news
organization; home address; social security number; and confirmation of
U.S. citizenship.

Date: Monday, March 12

—
Please arrive at the SRS Visitor Control Center (Bldg. 703-46A) by
11:30 AM for badging and transportation to the Biomass Facility.

—
Bring two forms of acceptable identification,
one of which must be a state-issued identification bearing a
photograph (such as a driver's license) or a U.S. passport. A list
of other acceptable forms of identification, along with a directional
map, is attached.

—
The event is expected to conclude at 2:00 PM.