New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 940 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Monroe County

Monroe County has a population of 748,482. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 154,303 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 195 days of good air quality and 72 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 7 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

Among New York’s 567 solar plants, Ridgeway 1 in Rochester ranks #28 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits at 3035 Ridgeway Ave in Monroe County and began operating in 2023, owned by Generate Capital and serving the RG&E area.

It uses solar photovoltaic technology, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity with no fuel burned. The plant’s capacity is 5.0 MW, a megawatt being a measure of the most power it can deliver at once. Its output was 9.4 gigawatt-hours, a unit of electricity over time, roughly what about 940 homes use in a year.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 3,600 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 770 cars off the road for a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Rochester is home to the University of Rochester and RIT, and Highland Park is a well-loved green space in the city. The Lake Ontario shoreline is a short drive north, and Erie Canal villages such as Pittsford and Fairport offer walks along the canal path.

Local school district

Spencerport 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.