DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS [Abstract]
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Ridgewood Electric Power Trust V (the "Trust") is a Delaware trust formed on March 14, 1996. The Trust began offering shares in April 1996 and concluded its offering in April 1998. The Trust has 932.8877 investor shares of beneficial interest ("Investor Shares") outstanding. Prior to the adoption of the Trust's Plan of Dissolution (described below), the objective of the Trust was to provide benefits to its shareholders through a combination of distributions of operating cash flow and capital appreciation. The Managing Shareholder of the Trust is Ridgewood Renewable Power LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company (the "Managing Shareholder" or "RRP"). Historically, the Trust focused primarily on independent power generation facilities, water desalinization plants and other infrastructure projects both in the US and abroad. The Trust's accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Trust. The Trust owned a 14.1% interest in Ridgewood Near East Holding LLC ("NEH"). On March 2, 2010, NEH sold its interests in its wholly owned subsidiary, Ridgewood Egypt for Infrastructure LLC (Egypt) ("REFI"), the final operating asset of the Trust, as further discussed in Note 4. On December 22, 2008, the Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Ridgewood Electric Power Trust V (the "Plan of Dissolution") became effective. Under the Plan of Dissolution, the business of the Trust shifted, and became limited to the disposal of its remaining assets and resolution of its remaining liabilities. Upon the completion of these activities, if successful, the Managing Shareholder expects to distribute any remaining cash to the Trust's shareholders and then proceed to terminate the Trust and its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The Trust is required to make adequate provisions to satisfy its known and unknown liabilities, which could substantially delay or limit the Trust's ability to make future distributions to shareholders. The process of accounting for the Trust's liabilities, including those that are presently unknown, may involve difficult valuation decisions, which could adversely impact the amount or timing of any future distributions by the Trust. Under the Plan of Dissolution, the Managing Shareholder has sole authority to conduct the Trust's dissolution, liquidation and termination without additional shareholder approval. As of August 12, 2011, the Trust has not been liquidated, primarily due to on-going litigation discussed in Note 5. The Managing Shareholder is unable to estimate when this litigation will be resolved and what financial impact the litigation will have on the Trust's net assets and the timing of any distributions to shareholders. The Trust does not anticipate any distributions until the Trust has completed the liquidation process, at which time, the Trust's remaining cash, if any, will be distributed to its shareholders. For the purposes of the Trust's estimates of fees and expenses to be incurred during liquidation, management has assumed that the liquidation of the Trust will be completed by December 31, 2011. If the liquidation of the Trust, including the resolution of the litigation discussed in Note 5, is not completed by that date, the actual expenses that the Trust will incur will likely increase. The Trust estimates that it currently has sufficient cash to meet its known obligations, primarily as the Managing Shareholder has agreed to pay fees and expenses associated with a Special Litigation Committee, if the Trust does not have the cash to do so. Additionally, the Managing Shareholder anticipates waving a portion of management fees due to it, though it is under no obligation to do so. The Trust has evaluated subsequent events and transactions through the date of the issuance of its financial statements, and concluded that there were no such events or transactions that require adjustment to, or disclosure in the notes to, the condensed consolidated financial statements.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Ridgewood Electric Power Trust V (the "Trust") is a Delaware trust formed on March 14, 1996. The Trust began offering shares in April 1996 and concluded its offering in April 1998. The Trust has 932.8877 investor shares of beneficial interest ("Investor Shares") outstanding. Prior to the adoption of the Trust's Plan of Dissolution (described below), the objective of the Trust was to provide benefits to its shareholders through a combination of distributions of operating cash flow and capital appreciation. The Managing Shareholder of the Trust is Ridgewood Renewable Power LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company (the "Managing Shareholder" or "RRP"). Historically, the Trust focused primarily on independent power generation facilities, water desalinization plants and other infrastructure projects both in the US and abroad.

The Trust's accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Trust. The Trust owned a 14.1% interest in Ridgewood Near East Holding LLC ("NEH"). On March 2, 2010, NEH sold its interests in its wholly owned subsidiary, Ridgewood Egypt for Infrastructure LLC (Egypt) ("REFI"), the final operating asset of the Trust, as further discussed in Note 4.

On December 22, 2008, the Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Ridgewood Electric Power Trust V (the "Plan of Dissolution") became effective. Under the Plan of Dissolution, the business of the Trust shifted, and became limited to the disposal of its remaining assets and resolution of its remaining liabilities. Upon the completion of these activities, if successful, the Managing Shareholder expects to distribute any remaining cash to the Trust's shareholders and then proceed to terminate the Trust and its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The Trust is required to make adequate provisions to satisfy its known and unknown liabilities, which could substantially delay or limit the Trust's ability to make future distributions to shareholders. The process of accounting for the Trust's liabilities, including those that are presently unknown, may involve difficult valuation decisions, which could adversely impact the amount or timing of any future distributions by the Trust.

Under the Plan of Dissolution, the Managing Shareholder has sole authority to conduct the Trust's dissolution, liquidation and termination without additional shareholder approval. As of August 12, 2011, the Trust has not been liquidated, primarily due to on-going litigation discussed in Note 5. The Managing Shareholder is unable to estimate when this litigation will be resolved and what financial impact the litigation will have on the Trust's net assets and the timing of any distributions to shareholders. The Trust does not anticipate any distributions until the Trust has completed the liquidation process, at which time, the Trust's remaining cash, if any, will be distributed to its shareholders.

For the purposes of the Trust's estimates of fees and expenses to be incurred during liquidation, management has assumed that the liquidation of the Trust will be completed by December 31, 2011. If the liquidation of the Trust, including the resolution of the litigation discussed in Note 5, is not completed by that date, the actual expenses that the Trust will incur will likely increase.

The Trust estimates that it currently has sufficient cash to meet its known obligations, primarily as the Managing Shareholder has agreed to pay fees and expenses associated with a Special Litigation Committee, if the Trust does not have the cash to do so. Additionally, the Managing Shareholder anticipates waving a portion of management fees due to it, though it is under no obligation to do so.

The Trust has evaluated subsequent events and transactions through the date of the issuance of its financial statements, and concluded that there were no such events or transactions that require adjustment to, or disclosure in the notes to, the condensed consolidated financial statements.