New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 320 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Rensselaer County

Rensselaer County has a population of 159,305. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 32,994 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 MSAP 13 in Troy, Rensselaer County, ranks #347 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. The site sits at 3 Landfill Rd and began operating in 2020. It uses solar photovoltaic technology, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity, with a rated capacity of 2.0 MW (a megawatt is a unit of power, roughly a million watts).

In 2024 the plant produced 3.2 gigawatt-hours, which is a measure of electricity over time, equal to about 320 homes’ yearly use. The plant is carbon-free in operation, since it burns no fuel. Its capacity factor of 18 percent describes how much of its maximum possible output it actually delivered over the year, which is typical for solar since the sun isn’t always shining.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 1,200 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 1,300,000 pounds of coal.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Troy sits along the Hudson River and is home to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a well-known engineering university. To the east, Grafton Lakes State Park offers ponds and trails in the hills, a pleasant spot for a walk or a paddle.

Local school district

Troy City 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.