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New York power
Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 1,600 homes for a year.*
Air quality & health in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County has a population of 75,600. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 16,007 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
Out of 567 solar plants in New York, West Valley Solar ranks #21 by the electricity it produced in 2024. It sits in West Valley, in Cattaraugus County, and has been operating since 2022. It uses solar photovoltaic technology, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity with no fuel burned.
Last year it generated 15.7 gigawatt-hours (a gigawatt-hour is a very large unit for measuring electricity), which is about 1,600 homes’ worth of use. Its nameplate capacity, the most power it can produce at one moment, is 10.0 MW (a megawatt is a million watts), and it has two generating units.
Environmental impact
Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 6,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as keeping about 2,400 tons of waste out of a landfill.*
Nearby places worth exploring
West Valley sits in the hills of Cattaraugus County, not far from Allegany State Park, a large and popular place for hiking and camping. Ellicottville, a ski village known for Holiday Valley resort, is also in the area. Near Olean, St. Bonaventure University is another well-known neighbor.
Local school district
West Valley 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.
