# Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Yellowstone County, Montana

> Yellowstone County, Montana: one utility-scale solar plant, 80 MW (AC). Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties.

- URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/montana/yellowstone
- 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) › [Montana](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/montana) › Yellowstone County

Quick answer

Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. Yellowstone County, Montana has one utility-scale solar plant of at least 1 MW, with 80 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 Yellowstone County

The plant came online in 2020.^\[1\] The plant uses a tracking system that follows the sun.^\[1\]

| Plant | Online | Capacity (MW AC) | Mounting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MTSUN | 2020 | 80 | 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 Yellowstone County

Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[2\] 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.^\[4\]

## 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 Yellowstone County, Montana?

Yellowstone County, Montana has one utility-scale solar plant of at least 1 MW, with 80 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 Yellowstone County?

The plant is MTSUN (2020, 80 MW AC).^\[1\]

### Can I sell solar lease payments or royalties in Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone County come online?

The plant came online in 2020.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[2\]

### Which nearby Montana counties also have utility-scale solar plants?

Nearby Montana counties with utility-scale solar plants include Beaverhead County (80 MW AC).^\[1\]

## Related pages

[Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Montana](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/montana)

[Selling Solar Lease Payments and Solar Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties)

[Mineral rights in Montana](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/montana)

[Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Yellowstone County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/montana/yellowstone)

[Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Beaverhead County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/montana/beaverhead)

## 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%2Fmontana%2Fyellowstone&county=Yellowstone+County)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**When did solar plants in Yellowstone County come online?**
The plant came online in 2020. 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.

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