New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 290 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Cayuga County

Cayuga County has a population of 74,485. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 16,077 cases in the county.

No ozone or particle pollution grades are available for this county in the most recent report. The figures above describe how many residents live with conditions sensitive to air quality — not measured pollution levels.

Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to certain health conditions, particularly for children and older adults. Where electricity comes from affects how much combustion pollution is produced on the grid.

These figures describe the county as a whole and are not specific to this facility. Sources: American Lung Association – State of the Air (New York); U.S. EPA Air Quality Index.

The story behind this New York renewable energy facility

New York has 567 solar plants in this category, and Musgrave West Solar Farm in Aurora, Cayuga County, ranks #377 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. It has been operating since 2016 and is owned by Artemis Solar LLC.

In 2024 it generated 2.9 gigawatt-hours, which is about 290 homes’ worth of electricity for a year. A gigawatt-hour is simply a large unit for counting electricity over time. Its capacity is 2.0 MW, meaning the most power it can send out at one moment, and it works by solar photovoltaic technology, where panels turn sunlight directly into electricity with no fuel burned.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 1,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as not burning about 130,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Aurora sits on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region. Nearby, Auburn and the shores of Owasco and Cayuga lakes are well-known stops, and Fillmore Glen State Park offers gorge trails near Moravia.

Local school district

Southern Cayuga Central School District

Common questions

* Homes-powered and emissions comparisons are annual estimates based on national averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Homes powered” describes a quantity of electricity, not direct service to specific households. How we calculate this.