New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 350 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Albany County

Albany County has a population of 316,659. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 64,742 cases in the county.

The county received a grade of B for ozone pollution. For particle pollution — the fine soot and dust that can be breathed deep into the lungs — it received a grade of D.

Federal monitoring recorded 184 days of good air quality and 84 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 5 days rated unhealthy for sensitive groups.

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

Of the 567 solar plants in New York’s list, Westerlo NY 1 in South Westerlo ranks #299 by electricity produced in 2024, placing it right in the middle of the pack. It began operating in 2020 and uses solar photovoltaic technology, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity.

In 2024 it generated 3.5 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a large unit of electricity, which is about 350 homes’ worth of power for a year. Its capacity is 2.0 MW, a megawatt being the most power it can deliver at one moment. Solar produces no emissions while running.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 1,300 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as taking about 290 cars off the road for a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

South Westerlo sits in Albany County, southwest of the state capital. Albany itself offers the Empire State Plaza and the University at Albany, and the Hudson River waterfront is a short drive away. Thacher State Park, in the Helderberg hills, is also close by.

Local school district

Greenville 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.