393rd largest plant in Massachusetts · 10231st nationally
Gardner Solar 1 is a solar power plant in Massachusetts with a nameplate capacity of 2.0 MW. It generates roughly 2.8k MWh per year — enough to power about 270 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 16% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Gardner Solar 1 |
|---|---|
| Operator | Gardner Solar 1, Llc |
| City | Gardner |
| County | Worcester County |
| State | Massachusetts |
| ZIP | 01440 |
| Coordinates | 42.58639, -72.03083 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRDN1 | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 2.0 MW | Operating | 2014 |
| NERC Region | NPCC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Iso New England Inc. |
Utility-scale solar farms convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic panels. They produce zero direct emissions and have no fuel cost, but generation is variable — peaking at midday and falling to zero at night. Capacity factors typically run 18–28% in good locations.