New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 460 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Sullivan County

Sullivan County has a population of 79,920. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 16,644 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 the BQ – Psychedelic Site CSG, near Swan Lake in Sullivan County, ranks #246 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. It uses solar photovoltaic technology, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity. The site began operating in 2022 and is owned by Distributed Solar Development, LLC, with power delivered through NYSEG.

Its capacity is 2.7 MW, a megawatt being a measure of the most power a plant can deliver at once. Over the year it produced 4.6 gigawatt-hours, a unit of electricity amounting to about 460 homes’ yearly use. Because the sun doesn’t shine all day, solar plants run below their maximum, and this one’s capacity factor, a measure of actual output compared with its full potential, was 19 percent.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 1,800 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 using about 4,400 barrels of oil.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Swan Lake sits in the southern Catskills, an area known for its hills, lakes, and small towns. Visitors often head to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts or the village of Monticello. The Delaware River forms the western edge of Sullivan County.

Local school district

Liberty 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.