# Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in New York > New York: 637 utility-scale solar plants in 57 counties, 2,749.7 MW (AC). Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. - URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork - 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 York Quick answer Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. New York has 637 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 2,749.7 MW (AC) of capacity across 57 counties, according to the U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (version 4.0, released April 14, 2026). ## Utility-scale solar plants by county in New York Livingston County, Montgomery County and Suffolk County have the most utility-scale solar capacity in New York, with 213 MW (AC), 162.9 MW (AC) and 146.3 MW (AC).^\[1\] Utility-scale solar plants in New York came online between 2011 and 2025.^\[1\] The table lists the 42 counties with at least 20 MW (AC) in total, each with its own page.^\[1\] Counties with less than 20 MW (AC) in total: Wyoming County (17.6 MW), Westchester County (16.1 MW), Schuyler County (14.6 MW), Lewis County (13.5 MW), Herkimer County (13 MW), Broome County (12.7 MW), Seneca County (9 MW), Richmond County (7.6 MW), Franklin County (7.2 MW) and Warren County (6.9 MW).^\[1\] Also with less than 20 MW (AC) in total: Rockland County (4 MW), Delaware County (2.3 MW), Queens County (2.2 MW), Otsego County (2 MW) and Nassau County (1.8 MW).^\[1\] | County | Plants | Capacity (MW AC) | Online | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Livingston County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/livingston) | 9 | 213 | 2020–2024 | | [Montgomery County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/montgomery) | 12 | 162.9 | 2018–2025 | | [Suffolk County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/suffolk) | 21 | 146.3 | 2011–2022 | | [Orange County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/orange) | 46 | 110.2 | 2017–2025 | | [Monroe County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/monroe) | 28 | 108.2 | 2017–2024 | | [Onondaga County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/onondaga) | 27 | 105.2 | 2016–2025 | | [St. Lawrence County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/st-lawrence) | 26 | 97.4 | 2014–2024 | | [Albany County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/albany) | 19 | 86.9 | 2013–2024 | | [Erie County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/erie) | 23 | 81.3 | 2016–2025 | | [Tioga County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/tioga) | 14 | 75.8 | 2019–2024 | | [Oneida County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/oneida) | 22 | 75.2 | 2015–2024 | | [Schenectady County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/schenectady) | 17 | 73 | 2018–2024 | | [Washington County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/washington) | 9 | 68.2 | 2016–2025 | | [Saratoga County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/saratoga) | 16 | 67.4 | 2014–2024 | | [Fulton County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/fulton) | 19 | 66.9 | 2018–2025 | | [Jefferson County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/jefferson) | 15 | 60.6 | 2017–2025 | | [Niagara County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/niagara) | 13 | 58.7 | 2019–2024 | | [Chautauqua County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/chautauqua) | 15 | 57.5 | 2015–2025 | | [Tompkins County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/tompkins) | 11 | 53.1 | 2014–2024 | | [Cortland County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/cortland) | 8 | 52 | 2016–2023 | | [Schoharie County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/schoharie) | 2 | 52 | 2018–2024 | | [Chenango County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/chenango) | 7 | 48.3 | 2021–2025 | | [Ontario County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/ontario) | 18 | 48.2 | 2015–2025 | | [Allegany County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/allegany) | 11 | 48.1 | 2015–2025 | | [Oswego County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/oswego) | 14 | 47.4 | 2017–2024 | | [Cayuga County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/cayuga) | 11 | 47.2 | 2016–2024 | | [Genesee County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/genesee) | 14 | 46.9 | 2018–2025 | | [Ulster County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/ulster) | 17 | 44.2 | 2018–2025 | | [Dutchess County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/dutchess) | 17 | 41.6 | 2015–2025 | | [Cattaraugus County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/cattaraugus) | 9 | 39.5 | 2016–2024 | | [Sullivan County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/sullivan) | 16 | 37.8 | 2017–2025 | | [Columbia County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/columbia) | 8 | 36.8 | 2020–2024 | | [Orleans County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/orleans) | 8 | 33.5 | 2020–2025 | | [Rensselaer County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/rensselaer) | 9 | 33 | 2018–2024 | | [Steuben County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/steuben) | 7 | 32 | 2018–2025 | | [Madison County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/madison) | 7 | 27.1 | 2017–2024 | | [Clinton County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/clinton) | 9 | 26.8 | 2018–2024 | | [Yates County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/yates) | 5 | 23.6 | 2020–2023 | | [Essex County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/essex) | 5 | 22.5 | 2024 | | [Greene County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/greene) | 6 | 21.2 | 2018–2023 | | [Wayne County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/wayne) | 10 | 20.9 | 2014–2024 | | [Chemung County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/newyork/chemung) | 8 | 20.8 | 2013–2025 | Source: U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (USGS, LBNL), version 4.0, released April 14, 2026. Data compiled November 1, 2026. ## How solar leases pay 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.^\[2\] 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.^\[3\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[4\] ## Solar leases in New York Some solar leases limit what the landowner may do with the payments: an example lease published by a New York State commission bars the landowner from severing the lease payments or assigning them to a third party without the developer's consent.^\[5\] ## 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.^\[3\] The land can be converted back to agricultural uses at the end of the installation's operational life.^\[2\] 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 New York? New York has 637 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 2,749.7 MW (AC) of capacity across 57 counties, according to the U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (version 4.0, released April 14, 2026).^\[1\] ### Which New York counties have the most solar capacity? By recorded capacity, the leading counties are Livingston County (213 MW AC), Montgomery County (162.9 MW AC), Suffolk County (146.3 MW AC), Orange County (110.2 MW AC) and Monroe County (108.2 MW AC).^\[1\] ### Can I sell solar lease payments or royalties in New York? 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 were New York's utility-scale solar plants built? Of the plants with a recorded year, 195 came online in the 2010s and 442 in the 2020s.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[4\] ### What does New York law say about solar leases? Some solar leases limit what the landowner may do with the payments: an example lease published by a New York State commission bars the landowner from severing the lease payments or assigning them to a third party without the developer's consent.^\[5\] ## Related pages [Selling Solar Lease Payments and Solar Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties) [Mineral rights in New York](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/newyork) [Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in New York](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/newyork) ## 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) \[2\] [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) \[3\] [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) \[4\] [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) \[5\] [Planning for Offsite Solar Energy Projects (Issue Paper Series, example solar lease)](https://tughill.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Planning-for-Offsite-Solar-Energy-Projects.pdf) — New York State Tug Hill Commission (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%2Fnewyork) ## Frequently Asked Questions **When were New York's utility-scale solar plants built?** Of the plants with a recorded year, 195 came online in the 2010s and 442 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