Maple Ridge Wind Farm

Maple Ridge Wind Farm is the largest wind farm in the state of New York in the United States. Located on Tug Hill in Lewis County, the facility has 195 wind turbines.^[1] At full operation, the turbines can produce a maximum of 321 MW.^[2]

Description

Maple Ridge Wind Farm, which achieved full operation in 2006, is a facility with 195 Vestas model V82 1.65 MW wind turbines. The Danish model machines were shipped in parts by sea to the United States,^[1][3] and via the St. Lawrence Seaway to Lake Ontario, where they were unloaded at the Oswego Port Authority. They were transported by numerous trucks to the area of the farm near Lowville, New York.

Each turbine tower is 260 feet (79 m) tall. Each turbine has blades 130 feet (40 m) long, which added to the hub diameter gives a rotor diameter of 270 feet (82 m). Collectively, the turbines can produce a maximum of 321 MW.^[2]

Maple Ridge Wind Farm became fully operational in June 2006.^[4]

The wind farm is located on Tug Hill in Lewis County, New York. The site was chosen because it lies at an elevation of 1,600–1,800 feet (490–550 m); strong winds are part of the area's lake-effect weather patterns generated by nearby Lake Ontario.

Maple Ridge Wind Farm was named in honor of Lewis County's maple syrup production, for which it ranks as the top county in New York.^[2] The company generally leased a total of 21,000 acres of land for its facility, in an area used primarily as pasture and for the cultivation of feed-crops. NPR reported mixed reactions among the neighbors to the wind farm operations.^[5]

The Maple Ridge Wind Farm was featured during the 2007 Wind Tour of Assemblyman Pete Lopez, who is based in Schoharie County and promotes the development of alternative energy sources.^[6]

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  A few of the 195 Vestas V82 1.65 MW wind turbines; the height at the tip of the blade reaches 390 feet (120 m)390 feet (120 m)

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  Turbines of the farm, taken in 2007

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  Closeup of a tower base section

See also

• Wind power in New York
• Wind power in the United States

References

External links

• Building the Maple Ridge Wind Farm, Photographs of the turbines being off loaded at the Oswego Port Authority & shipped to Lowville.
• IBEW Wind Farm on YouTube - a video showing International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers members wiring the turbines
• "Falling in Love with Wind", OnEarth Magazine
• "Milking Wind, Instead of Cows", OnEarth Podcast
• Tapping Maple Ridge, documentary film about Maple Ridge Wind Farm
• "Maple Ridge Wind Farm". Retrieved 2006-05-16. 

Coordinates: 43°45′N 75°33′W / 43.75°N 75.55°W / 43.75; -75.55

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