# Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Texas > Texas: 187 utility-scale solar plants in 83 counties, 23,033 MW (AC). Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. - URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas - 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) › Texas Quick answer Buckhead Energy buys solar lease payments and solar royalties. Texas has 187 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 23,033 MW (AC) of capacity across 83 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 Texas Pecos County, Lamar County and Wharton County have the most utility-scale solar capacity in Texas, with 2,073.3 MW (AC), 1,169.5 MW (AC) and 1,090 MW (AC).^\[1\] Utility-scale solar plants in Texas came online between 2010 and 2025.^\[1\] The table lists the 64 counties with at least 20 MW (AC) in total, each with its own page.^\[1\] Counties with less than 20 MW (AC) in total: El Paso County (16.9 MW), Coryell County (15.4 MW), Austin County (11.6 MW), Howard County (10 MW), Karnes County (10 MW), Presidio County (10 MW), Erath County (9.9 MW), Brooks County (9.5 MW), Collin County (7.7 MW), Menard County (7.5 MW) and Wilson County (7 MW).^\[1\] Also with less than 20 MW (AC) in total: Guadalupe County (4.9 MW), Lubbock County (4.4 MW), Dallas County (4.1 MW), Tarrant County (4 MW), Upshur County (3 MW), Harris County (1.9 MW), Real County (1.5 MW) and Williamson County (1.4 MW).^\[1\] | County | Plants | Capacity (MW AC) | Online | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Pecos County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/pecos) | 12 | 2,073.3 | 2015–2024 | | [Lamar County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/lamar) | 5 | 1,169.5 | 2018–2024 | | [Wharton County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/wharton) | 4 | 1,090 | 2019–2024 | | [Andrews County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/andrews) | 4 | 1,074.3 | 2019–2021 | | [Fort Bend County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/fort-bend) | 5 | 1,018.4 | 2016–2024 | | [Brazoria County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/brazoria) | 6 | 882.8 | 2020–2024 | | [Milam County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/milam) | 5 | 790 | 2024–2025 | | [Upton County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/upton) | 3 | 747.5 | 2017–2020 | | [Navarro County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/navarro) | 3 | 613 | 2021–2024 | | [Falls County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/falls) | 5 | 594.1 | 2017–2024 | | [Tom Green County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/tom-green) | 3 | 567.8 | 2020–2025 | | [Bell County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/bell) | 2 | 555.4 | 2023–2025 | | [Borden County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/borden) | 2 | 527.5 | 2020–2021 | | [Swisher County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/swisher) | 1 | 500 | 2024 | | [Culberson County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/culberson) | 3 | 464.8 | 2021–2024 | | [Kent County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/kent) | 2 | 452 | 2023–2024 | | [Limestone County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/limestone) | 1 | 400 | 2024 | | [Concho County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/concho) | 2 | 360 | 2021–2023 | | [Winkler County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/winkler) | 2 | 350 | 2019 | | [Haskell County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/haskell) | 2 | 331.4 | 2016–2021 | | [Frio County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/frio) | 2 | 330 | 2021–2023 | | [Scurry County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/scurry) | 1 | 326.6 | 2024 | | [Coleman County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/coleman) | 1 | 320 | 2023 | | [Goliad County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/goliad) | 1 | 300 | 2025 | | [Uvalde County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/uvalde) | 2 | 298.5 | 2015–2024 | | [Denton County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/denton) | 3 | 279.5 | 2015–2024 | | [McLennan County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/mclennan) | 3 | 265 | 2018–2022 | | [Crane County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/crane) | 2 | 260.5 | 2019–2020 | | [Bosque County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/bosque) | 5 | 252.3 | 2016–2024 | | [Bee County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/bee) | 1 | 250 | 2024 | | [Hopkins County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/hopkins) | 1 | 250 | 2024 | | [Wise County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/wise) | 1 | 245 | 2024 | | [Childress County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/childress) | 1 | 240 | 2020 | | [Fayette County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/fayette) | 1 | 240 | 2025 | | [Fannin County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/fannin) | 3 | 216.1 | 2017–2021 | | [Ellis County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/ellis) | 2 | 214.7 | 2021–2023 | | [Grimes County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/grimes) | 1 | 210 | 2021 | | [Webb County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/webb) | 2 | 210 | 2019–2021 | | [Hill County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/hill) | 2 | 207.1 | 2023 | | [Nolan County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/nolan) | 1 | 204.4 | 2020 | | [Bastrop County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/bastrop) | 1 | 200 | 2025 | | [Dimmit County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/dimmit) | 1 | 200 | 2022 | | [Jones County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/jones) | 1 | 200 | 2021 | | [Kinney County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/kinney) | 2 | 199.6 | 2014–2024 | | [Ector County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/ector) | 3 | 196.8 | 2020 | | [Calhoun County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/calhoun) | 1 | 196.3 | 2024 | | [Travis County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/travis) | 5 | 180.3 | 2011–2023 | | [Cameron County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/cameron) | 2 | 180 | 2022 | | [Dawson County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/dawson) | 2 | 152 | 2017–2018 | | [Jackson County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/jackson) | 1 | 150.5 | 2023 | | [Polk County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/polk) | 1 | 150 | 2023 | | [San Patricio County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/san-patricio) | 1 | 150 | 2024 | | [Kaufman County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/kaufman) | 1 | 146 | 2021 | | [Sterling County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/sterling) | 2 | 145 | 2018–2020 | | [Starr County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/starr) | 1 | 136 | 2024 | | [Liberty County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/liberty) | 1 | 109.9 | 2024 | | [Bexar County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/bexar) | 10 | 102.6 | 2010–2019 | | [Hamilton County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/hamilton) | 1 | 100 | 2023 | | [Hunt County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/hunt) | 3 | 70 | 2017–2024 | | [Cooke County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/cooke) | 2 | 65 | 2017–2020 | | [Van Zandt County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/van-zandt) | 1 | 59.8 | 2020 | | [Live Oak County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/live-oak) | 1 | 50.7 | 2022 | | [Brewster County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/brewster) | 1 | 50 | 2017 | | [Grayson County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties/texas/grayson) | 4 | 20.3 | 2017–2018 | 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 Texas Texas's solar power facility agreement law, Utilities Code Chapter 302, applies only to agreements entered into on or after September 1, 2021; an earlier agreement is governed by the law as it existed before that date.^\[5\] In Texas, a solar power facility agreement entered into on or after September 1, 2021 for a facility that is a generation asset must make the grantee responsible for removing its facilities and must require financial assurance for that removal.^\[5\] Chapter 302 as amended in 2025 by H.B. 3228 applies only to agreements entered into on or after September 1, 2025; an agreement entered into before that date is governed by the law as it existed immediately before it.^\[6\] Texas law counts a battery energy storage facility that supports a solar energy device as part of the solar power facility covered by the solar agreement.^\[7\] Under a 2025 Texas law, a solar power facility agreement entered into on or after September 1, 2025 that authorizes a battery energy storage facility, meaning a battery energy storage resource with a capacity of one megawatt hour or greater as the law defines it, must also make the grantee responsible for recycling or properly disposing of the battery components.^\[8\] Ground-mounted solar arrays in Texas require an average of 6.9 acres per megawatt of capacity.^\[9\] In 2025, Texas accounted for the largest share of total U.S. utility-scale solar electricity generation, followed by California.^\[10\] ## 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 Texas? Texas has 187 utility-scale solar plants of at least 1 MW, with 23,033 MW (AC) of capacity across 83 counties, according to the U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (version 4.0, released April 14, 2026).^\[1\] ### Which Texas counties have the most solar capacity? By recorded capacity, the leading counties are Pecos County (2,073.3 MW AC), Lamar County (1,169.5 MW AC), Wharton County (1,090 MW AC), Andrews County (1,074.3 MW AC) and Fort Bend County (1,018.4 MW AC).^\[1\] ### Can I sell solar lease payments or royalties in Texas? 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 Texas's utility-scale solar plants built? Of the plants with a recorded year, 65 came online in the 2010s and 122 in the 2020s.^\[1\] Solar lease agreements can last 20 to 30 years.^\[4\] ### What does Texas law say about solar leases? Texas's solar power facility agreement law, Utilities Code Chapter 302, applies only to agreements entered into on or after September 1, 2021; an earlier agreement is governed by the law as it existed before that date.^\[5\] In Texas, a solar power facility agreement entered into on or after September 1, 2021 for a facility that is a generation asset must make the grantee responsible for removing its facilities and must require financial assurance for that removal.^\[5\] ## Related pages [Selling Solar Lease Payments and Solar Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/solar-lease-royalties) [Mineral rights in Texas](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/texas) [Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Texas](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/texas) [Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Texas](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights/texas) ## 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) \[5\] [S.B. 760 (87th Legislature, 2021), enrolled: solar power facility agreements](https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/87R/billtext/html/SB00760F.HTM) — Texas Legislature (accessed November 3, 2026) \[6\] [H.B. 3228 (89th Legislature, 2025), enrolled: wind and solar power facility lease provisions](https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB03228F.HTM) — Texas Legislature (accessed November 3, 2026) \[7\] [Texas Utilities Code, Chapter 302: Solar Power Facility Agreements](https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/UT/htm/UT.302.htm) — Texas Legislature (accessed November 1, 2026) \[8\] [H.B. 3809 (89th Legislature, 2025), enrolled: removal of battery energy storage facilities](https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB03809F.htm) — Texas Legislature (accessed November 3, 2026) \[9\] [Understanding Alternative Energy: Wind and Solar Energy Systems on Texas Rangelands](https://mytexas.ag.tamu.edu/publications/understanding-alternative-energy-wind-and-solar-energy-systems-on-texas-rangelands/) — Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (accessed November 1, 2026) \[10\] [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%2Ftexas) ## Frequently Asked Questions **When were Texas's utility-scale solar plants built?** Of the plants with a recorded year, 65 came online in the 2010s and 122 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