Craig Wooster

Former CEO of Wooster Energy Engineering

Founding Engineer of Stone Edge Farm Microgrid

As Stone Edge Farm grew and the distributed resources multiplied, Craig saw the opportunity to build a microgrid. With a shared vision of zero carbon footprint, Craig provided the technical skill behind Mac’s conception and brought some of the most influential players to Stone Edge. He hired the first intern, Jorge, who revolutionized microgrid communication and helped put Stone Edge Farm on the energy map. The internship program that followed was Craig’s pride and joy, and he was beloved by his interns.

“Now Craig was an amazing engineer for sure and he had a vision but he also had a lot of knowledge of a lot of different kinds of electrical systems or subsystems.  It went way beyond anything that I had, way beyond.” -Mac McQuown

When it came to vision, Craig and Mac were on the same page. Beyond the question of carbon neutrality, the two agreed that it was essential not to restrict intellectual property. They saw the opportunity for growth and collaboration and fostered an environment that drew incredible innovators to Stone Edge Farm. One of those innovators, Catherine von Burg, became a recurring collaborator after meeting Craig in 2015.

“He told an incredible story of a place where microgrids and all sorts of energy assets were being installed and tested and over the years Craig became very much a friend and someone that when I was frustrated or he was frustrated either by the industry or some new policy that came into play or how people were not paying attention to the true data and the economics behind top-down versus distributed microgrids, versus centralized – he just became a friend that I relied on. Craig fully believed and lived what he believed in, in terms of creating a shift away from fossil fuel and away from centralized power generation; and in that friendship, I think we created a lot of different opportunities for each other but fundamentally always came to the farm and just being invited to partake and participate in what Stone Edge is doing was always an honor with Craig. He became a bit of a mentor as has Mac and now Jorge and the entire team here. So I miss him. But Craig, he lives on here and that's what he would want. I think everybody feels that.” -Catherine von Burg

Craig passed away in 2018, though his contributions to the energy industry and the fight against carbon are lasting.