New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 800 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Monroe County

Monroe County has a population of 748,482. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 154,303 cases in the county.

The county received a grade of B for ozone pollution. For particle pollution — the fine soot and dust that can be breathed deep into the lungs — it received a grade of D.

Federal monitoring recorded 195 days of good air quality and 72 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 7 days rated unhealthy for sensitive groups.

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

Wheatland 2B Solar, in Scottsville, is one of 567 solar plants in New York, and it ranks #89 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. It has been operating since 2021 and is owned by Generate Capital. Its panels use solar photovoltaic technology, which means sunlight is turned directly into electricity by special cells, with no fuel burned. The plant’s capacity is 4.5 MW, a megawatt being a unit of power, roughly how much electricity it can deliver at one moment.

In 2024 it produced 8.0 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a measure of electricity delivered over time. That is enough for about 800 homes. National Grid serves the area, and this carbon-free source supplies electricity to the local grid.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 3,100 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 360,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Scottsville sits just southwest of Rochester, home to the University of Rochester and RIT. Highland Park and the Lake Ontario shoreline are popular local outings, and Erie Canal villages like Pittsford and Fairport line the canal path.

Local school district

Wheatland-Chili 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.