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New York power
Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 580 homes for a year.*
Air quality & health in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County has a population of 106,940. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 22,121 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 Rock Island Road Solar Community Solar, in Gouverneur, ranks #202 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. It began operating in 2022 and uses solar photovoltaic technology, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity. It is owned by RPNY Solar 1, LLC and connects to the NYSEG network.
The plant has a capacity of 3.5 MW, a megawatt being a measure of the most power it can deliver at one moment. Over the year it produced 5.8 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a large block of electricity, roughly what about 580 homes use in a year. Because it runs on sunlight, it burns no fuel.
Environmental impact
Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 2,200 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 using about 5,500 barrels of oil.*
Nearby places worth exploring
Gouverneur sits in St. Lawrence County, where the college towns of Canton and Potsdam are home to St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton, Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam. The St. Lawrence River and the Adirondack foothills frame the county.
Local school district
Gouverneur Central School District
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* 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.
