New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 130 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Schenectady County

Schenectady County has a population of 159,902. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 32,463 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 this one, at 398 Anthony St in Schenectady, ranks #514 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. It is a solar photovoltaic array, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity. It has operated since 2020 and is owned by Distributed Solar Development, LLC, feeding power into the National Grid system.

Its 1.0 MW capacity (a megawatt is the most power it can deliver at one moment) produced 1.3 gigawatt-hours in 2024, which is roughly enough for about 130 homes. Solar panels make power only when the sun shines, so output rises and falls with the weather and seasons. It generates electricity without burning fuel.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 510 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 59,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Schenectady is home to Union College and Proctors Theatre, and the city sits along the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal corridor. It’s a handy base for walks along the waterfront and a night out downtown.

Local school district

Schenectady 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.