Stan Kraeger worked on the Arkwright Wind Farms project.

When developing, constructing, and operating a wind farm that ultimately makes New York more sustainable, there is one constant ingredient that is necessary for success and longevity — supportive community members.

After living and working in the area, I have seen the success of our wind farm, EDP Renewables North America’s (EDPR NA) and Avangrid Renewables’ Maple Ridge Wind Farm in Lewis County, New York. We invest directly in our community’s economy through local spending, annual community investment, and landowner payments.

Wind energy has supported this region heavily, and the community returns the favor. Maple Ridge Wind Farm’s wind generation is equivalent to the consumption of 136,000 New York homes, providing the state with clean energy and financial benefits. The wind farm has disbursed more than $47.1 million in cumulative payments to local governments, which directly supports local schools, emergency services, and infrastructure enhancements.

The schools have not only expanded their facilities and created a field for every sports team to play on, but they also use the turbines educationally by taking students on field trips, offering them an idea about what they could do for a living. Maple Ridge has also paid out an estimated $54.2 million within 50 miles of the project, which has often directly benefited area restaurants, gas stations, shops, and other local vendors and services. Small rural towns need revenue, and this spending benefits everyone in our town.

As clean energy continues to develop, the number of jobs needed to support its growth rises.

Maple Ridge created 458 full-time equivalent jobs during construction and employs 30 permanent jobs to operate and maintain the wind farm. A wind turbine technician is one of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States, with a projected growth rate of 44%. The number of job openings in the wind energy sector continues increasing, leaving the clean energy industry in New York with the ability to capitalize on an array of employment opportunities within the area.

Maple Ridge turbines are mostly installed on agricultural land where many landowners farm or use their land for whatever they choose. These landowners are provided with a stable form of consistent lease payments that cover turbines, access roads, and transmission corridors.

The landowners see our turbines as an opportunity for financial security and sustainability, and aside from the revenue gain, the landowners are able to utilize our roads for their own farming, providing a suitable means of access to their fields, cows, or crops.

Maple Ridge Wind Farm has helped provide sustainable electricity, cleaner air, and economic advantages for the state of New York and Lewis County residents. It not only is a success case for economic development, growth, and prosperity but also put Lewis County on the map by bringing

attention to the towns that are hosting the wind farm and its employees. It showcases who we are and that we have something to be very proud of that will continue shaping the future of energy generation for years to come.

Stan Kraeger started his career with EDP Renewables in 2007 as Technical Specialist at the Maple Ridge Wind Farm, then took a position as Reliability Engineer, Regional Operations, for approximately 10 years before moving on to become the Senior Operations Manager for the Maple Ridge, Madison, and Arkwright Wind Farms, a position he has held for five years.