New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 690 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Orleans County

Orleans County has a population of 39,124. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 8,384 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

In Medina, in Orleans County, there’s a solar farm that ranks #146 of New York’s 567 solar plants by the electricity it produced in 2024. It uses solar photovoltaic technology, which means panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity. It began operating in 2024 and has a capacity of 5.0 MW, a measure of the most power it can deliver at one moment.

Over 2024 it generated 6.9 gigawatt-hours, a unit for large amounts of electricity, which is about 690 homes’ worth of yearly use. National Grid delivers power in this area, and since solar needs no fuel, the plant runs on sunlight alone.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 2,700 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 310,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Medina sits along the Erie Canal, and nearby Albion is another canal village worth a stroll. To the north, the Lake Ontario shoreline offers wide views, and Lakeside Beach State Park is a familiar spot for a day by the water.

Local school district

Medina 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.