New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 3,200 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

Of the 567 solar plants in New York, NY8 – Darby Solar in Schaghticoke ranks #10 by the electricity it produced in 2024. It began operating in 2023 and is owned by MN8 Energy LLC, sending power to the National Grid system.

The plant uses solar photovoltaic technology, which means panels that turn sunlight straight into electricity with no moving parts. Its capacity is 20.0 MW, a megawatt being a measure of the most power it can deliver at one moment. Over a year it produced 32.4 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a large unit of electricity, and that is enough to supply about 3,200 homes.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 12,000 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 1,500,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Schaghticoke sits in Rensselaer County, a short drive from Troy, home to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on the Hudson River. Grafton Lakes State Park, in the eastern hills, offers ponds and trails for walking and quiet time outdoors.

Local school district

Greenwich 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.