Quick answer
The projects came online in 2023.[1] Turbine makers represented in the county: GE Wind (74 turbines).[1]
Two of the 76 turbines in the county have no recorded capacity in the database, so the megawatt figures count the rest.[1]
| Project | Online | Turbines in the county | Capacity in the county (MW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Wind East | 2023 | 74 | 205.4 |
| Unnamed project (Custer County) | 2023 | 2 | Not recorded |
Source: U.S. Wind Turbine Database (USGS, ACP, LBNL), version 9.1, released September 28, 2026. Data compiled November 3, 2026.
Turbines at the oldest project in the county have been in place since 2023.[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] 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]
Montana: a wind energy right, including any royalty, may not be severed from the real property, although a seller of the land may keep the payments under an existing wind option or wind energy agreement.[3]
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.
Custer County, Montana has two operating wind projects with 76 turbines and 205.4 MW of recorded capacity in the county, according to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (version 9.1, released September 28, 2026).[1] Two of the 76 turbines in the county have no recorded capacity in the database, so the megawatt figures count the rest.[1]
The projects are Clearwater Wind East (2023, 205.4 MW) and Unnamed project (Custer County) (2023).[1]
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.
Of the projects with a recorded year, two came online 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]
Nearby Montana counties with wind projects include Rosebud County (404.1 MW), Garfield County (160.7 MW), Fallon County (30 MW), Yellowstone County (1.7 MW) and Carbon County (239.8 MW).[1]
Montana: a wind energy right, including any royalty, may not be severed from the real property, although a seller of the land may keep the payments under an existing wind option or wind energy agreement.[3]
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Montana
Selling Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments
Oil and gas mineral rights in Custer County, Montana
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Rosebud County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Garfield County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Fallon County
[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] Montana Code Annotated 70-17-404: Severance of wind energy rights limited — Montana Legislature (accessed November 1, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties.
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