# Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Quay County, New Mexico > Quay County, New Mexico: one utility-scale solar plant, 25 MW (AC). Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. - URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico/quay - 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) › [New Mexico](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico) › Quay County Quick answer Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. Quay County, New Mexico has one utility-scale solar plant of at least 1 MW, with 25 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 Quay County The plant came online in 2016.^\[1\] The plant uses a tracking system that follows the sun.^\[1\] | Plant | Online | Capacity (MW AC) | Mounting | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Caprock Solar 1, LLC | 2016 | 25 | 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 Quay 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 Quay County, New Mexico? Quay County, New Mexico has one utility-scale solar plant of at least 1 MW, with 25 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 Quay County? The plant is Caprock Solar 1, LLC (2016, 25 MW AC).^\[1\] ### Can I sell solar lease payments or royalties in Quay 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 Quay County come online? The plant came online in 2016.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[2\] ### Which nearby New Mexico counties also have utility-scale solar plants? Nearby New Mexico counties with utility-scale solar plants include San Miguel County (26.5 MW AC), Chaves County (173.1 MW AC), Colfax County (41.4 MW AC), Torrance County (52 MW AC) and Taos County (22 MW AC).^\[1\] ## Related pages [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in New Mexico](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico) [Selling Solar Lease Payments and Solar Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties) [Oil and gas mineral rights in Quay County, New Mexico](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/newmexico/quay) [Mineral rights in New Mexico](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/newmexico) [Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Quay County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/newmexico/quay) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in San Miguel County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico/san-miguel) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Chaves County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico/chaves) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Colfax County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico/colfax) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Torrance County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico/torrance) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Taos County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newmexico/taos) ## 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%2Fnewmexico%2Fquay&county=Quay+County) ## Frequently Asked Questions **When did solar plants in Quay County come online?** The plant came online in 2016. 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