# Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Madera County, California > Madera County, California: 16 utility-scale solar plants, 120 MW (AC). Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. - URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california/madera - Last updated: 2026-11-01 - Publisher: Buckhead Energy (https://www.buckheadenergy.com/) - Format: full-content Markdown twin of the page (same content as the HTML; site navigation and footer removed) Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/) › [Selling Solar Lease Payments and Solar Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties) › [California](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california) › Madera County Quick answer Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. Madera County, California has 16 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 120 MW (AC) of capacity in total, according to the U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (version 4.0, released April 14, 2026). ## Utility-scale solar plants in Madera County The plants came online between 2009 and 2024.^\[1\] 10 of the 16 plants with a recorded mounting type use tracking systems that follow the sun, and six use fixed-tilt panels.^\[1\] One plant has battery storage on site.^\[1\] | Plant | Online | Capacity (MW AC) | Mounting | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Borden Solar Farm | 2020 | 50 | Tracking | | Adera Solar | 2015 | 20 | Fixed tilt | | KDC Solar Madera LLC | 2023 | 10 | Fixed tilt | | Avenue 26 Solar | 2024 | 7.6 | Tracking | | Wonderful Firebaugh | 2022 | 5.4 | Tracking | | Costa View Farms | 2024 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Wonderful Orchards-New Columbia | 2020 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Pacific Ethanol Madera Solar Array | 2018 | 3.9 | Tracking | | Sealed Air Madera Solar Project | 2022 | 3 | Tracking | | DGS Valley State Prison | 2021 | 2.3 | Tracking | | DGS Central California Womens Facility | 2020 | 2 | Fixed tilt | | Madera 1 PV | 2017 | 1.5 | Tracking | | CA - Madera USD - Madera South HS | 2022 | 1.2 | Tracking | | Five H Farms Solar Array | 2021 | 1.1 | Fixed tilt | | City of Madera WWTP | 2009 | 1 | Tracking | | Madera Community Hospital | 2011 | 1 | Tracking | Source: U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (USGS, LBNL), version 4.0, released April 14, 2026. Data compiled November 1, 2026. ## What the data means for solar lease owners in Madera County The oldest utility-scale solar plant in the county came online in 2009.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[2\] The newest came online in 2024.^\[1\] Federal guidance for farmers describes solar lease payments as typically structured as a fixed annual or monthly fee per acre, or as a percentage of the energy generated by the solar panels.^\[3\] Rent during the operations period will likely include an inflation adjustment, which may be tied to a measure like the Consumer Price Index or set at a fixed rate.^\[4\] ## Solar leases in California In 2025, Texas accounted for the largest share of total U.S. utility-scale solar electricity generation, followed by California.^\[5\] ## What you sell and what you keep What Buckhead buys depends on the deal, and Buckhead tells the seller up front which interest it is offering to buy — for example, the payments for the rest of the current lease term, a term easement, or a longer-term interest. Solar rent is paid period by period, the operations period may last 20 years or more, and renewals are at the developer's option.^\[4\] The land can be converted back to agricultural uses at the end of the installation's operational life.^\[3\] Educational information only — not legal, tax, or investment advice. The figures are public reference data, not a valuation or appraisal of any interest. Consult a qualified attorney, CPA, or landman about your specific situation. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many utility-scale solar plants are in Madera County, California? Madera County, California has 16 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 120 MW (AC) of capacity in total, according to the U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (version 4.0, released April 14, 2026).^\[1\] Utility-scale power plants have at least one megawatt of electricity generation capacity.^\[5\] ### Which solar plants operate in Madera County? The largest plants are Borden Solar Farm (2020, 50 MW AC), Adera Solar (2015, 20 MW AC), KDC Solar Madera LLC (2023, 10 MW AC), Avenue 26 Solar (2024, 7.6 MW AC), Wonderful Firebaugh (2022, 5.4 MW AC) and Costa View Farms (2024, 5 MW AC).^\[1\] The next are Wonderful Orchards-New Columbia (2020, 5 MW AC) and Pacific Ethanol Madera Solar Array (2018, 3.9 MW AC), plus eight more in the table above.^\[1\] ### Can I sell solar lease payments or royalties in Madera County? Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. What Buckhead buys depends on the deal, and Buckhead tells the seller up front which interest it is offering to buy — for example, the payments for the rest of the current lease term, a term easement, or a longer-term interest. ### When did solar plants in Madera County come online? Of the plants with a recorded year, one came online in the 2000s, four in the 2010s and 11 in the 2020s.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[2\] ### Which nearby California counties also have utility-scale solar plants? Nearby California counties with utility-scale solar plants include Merced County (352.6 MW AC), Fresno County (1,610.6 MW AC), Kings County (1,513.8 MW AC), Stanislaus County (299.6 MW AC) and San Benito County (148.4 MW AC).^\[1\] ## Related pages [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in California](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california) [Selling Solar Lease Payments and Solar Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties) [Oil and gas mineral rights in Madera County, California](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/california/madera) [Mineral rights in California](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/california) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Merced County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california/merced) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Fresno County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california/fresno) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Kings County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california/kings) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Stanislaus County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california/stanislaus) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in San Benito County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/california/san-benito) ## Sources \[1\] [U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (version 4.0, released April 14, 2026)](https://energy.usgs.gov/uspvdb/) — U.S. Geological Survey and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (accessed November 1, 2026) \[2\] [Solar Lease Considerations for Landowners](https://mytexas.ag.tamu.edu/publications/solar-lease-considerations-for-landowners/) — Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (accessed November 1, 2026) \[3\] [Farmer's Guide to Going Solar](https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/farmers-guide-going-solar) — U.S. Department of Energy (accessed November 1, 2026) \[4\] [Farmland Owner's Guide to Solar Leasing](https://nationalaglawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/articles/hall_solar_Leasing.pdf) — Ohio State University Extension and the National Agricultural Law Center (accessed November 1, 2026) \[5\] [Solar explained: Where solar is found and used](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/solar/where-solar-is-found.php) — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026) ## Ready to Sell Your Solar Lease Payments or Royalties? Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. [Get a Free Written Offer](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell#inquiry:source=%2Fsolar-lease-royalties%2Fcalifornia%2Fmadera&county=Madera+County) ## Frequently Asked Questions **When did solar plants in Madera County come online?** Of the plants with a recorded year, one came online in the 2000s, four in the 2010s and 11 in the 2020s. Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years. ## About Buckhead Energy Buckhead Energy is a direct buyer, not a broker — we purchase mineral and royalty interests with our own capital. Buckhead Energy buys mineral and royalty interests across all 50 states and has completed acquisitions in 33 states. Buckhead Energy has been buying mineral and royalty interests since 2006. Buckhead Energy holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Buckhead provides a free written offer. Buckhead Energy typically provides an offer within 24–48 hours. Closings typically take 30–45 days, subject to title review and clearance. Buckhead Energy's written offers stay open for 14 days. **Sell mineral rights:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell **Operator directory:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/operators