# Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Johnston County, North Carolina > Johnston County, North Carolina: 29 utility-scale solar plants, 105.8 MW (AC). Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. - URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina/johnston - 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) › [North Carolina](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina) › Johnston County Quick answer Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. Johnston County, North Carolina has 29 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 105.8 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 Johnston County The plants came online between 2014 and 2022.^\[1\] Seven of the 29 plants with a recorded mounting type use tracking systems that follow the sun, and 22 use fixed-tilt panels.^\[1\] | Plant | Online | Capacity (MW AC) | Mounting | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Bizzell Church Solar 1, LLC | 2015 | 5.2 | Fixed tilt | | 4 Oaks | 2015 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Banner Solar | 2021 | 5 | Tracking | | Bizzell Church Solar 2 | 2017 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Candace Solar | 2016 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Church Road Solar, LLC | 2018 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Keen Farm | 2015 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Langdon Solar Farm, LLC | 2015 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Nitro Solar | 2015 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Princeton | 2015 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Truman (NC) | 2019 | 5 | Tracking | | Wellons Farm | 2015 | 5 | Fixed tilt | | Wendell Solar Farm, LLC | 2019 | 5 | Tracking | | Benson Solar, LLC | 2020 | 4.9 | Fixed tilt | | Happy Solar | 2016 | 4 | Fixed tilt | | Murdock Solar | 2016 | 4 | Fixed tilt | | Selma Solar, LLC | 2014 | 4 | Fixed tilt | | HCE Johnston I, LLC | 2015 | 2.6 | Fixed tilt | | 315 Vinson Road | 2020 | 2 | Tracking | | ESA Four Oaks 2 NC, LLC | 2019 | 2 | Tracking | | Mule Farm Solar, LLC | 2022 | 2 | Fixed tilt | | Powatan Road Solar | 2020 | 2 | Tracking | | Red Toad 4451 Buffalo Road, LLC | 2018 | 2 | Fixed tilt | | Red Toad 5840 Buffalo Road, LLC | 2018 | 2 | Tracking | | Thanksgiving Fire Solar Farm, LLC | 2019 | 2 | Fixed tilt | 4 smaller plants are not listed. 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 Johnston County The oldest utility-scale solar plant in the county came online in 2014.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[2\] The newest came online in 2022.^\[1\] 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.^\[4\] ## 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 Johnston County, North Carolina? Johnston County, North Carolina has 29 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 105.8 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 Johnston County? The largest plants are Bizzell Church Solar 1, LLC (2015, 5.2 MW AC), 4 Oaks (2015, 5 MW AC), Banner Solar (2021, 5 MW AC), Bizzell Church Solar 2 (2017, 5 MW AC), Candace Solar (2016, 5 MW AC) and Church Road Solar, LLC (2018, 5 MW AC).^\[1\] The next are Keen Farm (2015, 5 MW AC) and Langdon Solar Farm, LLC (2015, 5 MW AC), plus 17 more in the table above and four smaller ones the table does not list.^\[1\] ### Can I sell solar lease payments or royalties in Johnston 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 Johnston County come online? Of the plants with a recorded year, 24 came online in the 2010s and five in the 2020s.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[2\] ### Which nearby North Carolina counties also have utility-scale solar plants? Nearby North Carolina counties with utility-scale solar plants include Wake County (28.1 MW AC), Harnett County (51 MW AC), Wayne County (138.6 MW AC), Wilson County (127 MW AC) and Sampson County (49.4 MW AC).^\[1\] ## Related pages [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in North Carolina](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina) [Selling Solar Lease Payments and Solar Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Wake County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina/wake) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Harnett County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina/harnett) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Wayne County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina/wayne) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Wilson County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina/wilson) [Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Sampson County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/northcarolina/sampson) ## 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%2Fnorthcarolina%2Fjohnston&county=Johnston+County) ## Frequently Asked Questions **When did solar plants in Johnston County come online?** Of the plants with a recorded year, 24 came online in the 2010s and five 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