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Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Sumner County, Kansas

Quick answer

Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties. Sumner County, Kansas has two operating wind projects with 184 turbines and 457.2 MW of recorded capacity in the county, according to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (version 9.1, released September 28, 2026).

Wind projects in Sumner County

The projects came online between 2015 and 2025.[1] Turbine makers represented in the county: GE Wind (109 turbines) and Vestas (75 turbines).[1]

ProjectOnlineTurbines in the countyCapacity in the county (MW)
Wild Plains Wind2025109307.2
Slate Creek201575150

Source: U.S. Wind Turbine Database (USGS, ACP, LBNL), version 9.1, released September 28, 2026. Data compiled November 3, 2026.

What the data means for wind lease owners in Sumner County

Turbines at the oldest project in the county have been in place since 2015.[1] Wind power leases generally have terms of 20 to 40 years, often with an option to extend, while a typical utility-scale wind power project has a useful life of 20 years.[2] The newest project here came online in 2025.[1] In royalty arrangements, the developer pays the landowner a percentage of the revenue received from the electricity produced by the turbines.[2] Minimum payments serve as a floor so landowners receive some revenue even when maintenance outages or lower winds cut production in a given year.[2]

Wind leases in Kansas

Under Kansas law, apart from leases and easements recorded before July 1, 2011, no one but the surface owner may use land to produce wind or solar energy unless the surface owner grants that right by lease or easement for a definite period.[3]

Kansas requires every instrument that conveys an interest created by a wind or solar lease or easement to describe the land and the terms under which the lease or easement was granted or may end.[3]

The five states with the most electricity generation from wind in 2025 were Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois.[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. A wind lease rents land for a term of years, and wind power leases generally have terms of 20 to 40 years, often with an option for extending the lease.[2] Under a wind lease, the landowner typically keeps the right to continue to grow crops, raise cattle or otherwise use the land outside the project.[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 wind projects are in Sumner County, Kansas?

Sumner County, Kansas has two operating wind projects with 184 turbines and 457.2 MW of recorded capacity in the county, according to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (version 9.1, released September 28, 2026).[1]

Which wind projects operate in Sumner County?

The projects are Wild Plains Wind (2025, 307.2 MW) and Slate Creek (2015, 150 MW).[1]

Can I sell wind lease payments or royalties in Sumner County?

Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind 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 wind projects in Sumner County come online?

Of the projects with a recorded year, one came online in the 2010s and one in the 2020s.[1] Wind power leases generally have terms of 20 to 40 years, often with an option to extend, while a typical utility-scale wind power project has a useful life of 20 years.[2]

Which nearby Kansas counties also have wind projects?

Nearby Kansas counties with wind projects include Butler County (150 MW), Elk County (199.8 MW), Harper County (403.1 MW), Kingman County (605.1 MW) and Barber County (174.2 MW).[1]

What does Kansas law say about wind leases?

Under Kansas law, apart from leases and easements recorded before July 1, 2011, no one but the surface owner may use land to produce wind or solar energy unless the surface owner grants that right by lease or easement for a definite period.[3] Kansas requires every instrument that conveys an interest created by a wind or solar lease or easement to describe the land and the terms under which the lease or easement was granted or may end.[3]

Related pages

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Kansas

Selling Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments

Oil and gas mineral rights in Sumner County, Kansas

Mineral rights in Kansas

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Butler County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Elk County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Harper County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Kingman County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Barber County

Sources

[1] U.S. Wind Turbine Database (version 9.1, released September 28, 2026) — U.S. Geological Survey, American Clean Power Association and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (accessed November 1, 2026)

[2] New York Wind Energy Guide for Local Decision Makers: Land Agreements — New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) (accessed November 1, 2026)

[3] K.S.A. 58-2272: Instruments conveying interest involving wind or solar resources and technologies — Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (accessed November 1, 2026)

[4] Wind explained: Where wind power is harnessed — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)

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