Quick answer
The project came online in 2022.[1] The project also has turbines outside Wheeler County; the table counts only the turbines in the county.[1] Turbine makers represented in the county: GE Wind (29 turbines).[1]
| Project | Online | Turbines in the county | Capacity in the county (MW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderhead Wind | 2022 | 29 | 80.2 |
Source: U.S. Wind Turbine Database (USGS, ACP, LBNL), version 9.1, released September 28, 2026. Data compiled November 3, 2026.
Turbines at the project in the county have been in place since 2022.[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]
Nebraska: no interest in a wind or solar resource on a tract of land may be severed from the surface estate.[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.
Wheeler County, Nebraska has one operating wind project with 29 turbines and 80.2 MW of recorded capacity in the county, according to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (version 9.1, released September 28, 2026).[1]
The project is Thunderhead Wind (2022, 80.2 MW).[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.
The project came online in 2022.[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 Nebraska counties with wind projects include Antelope County (675.8 MW), Boone County (177.1 MW), Holt County (400 MW), Platte County (13.7 MW) and Wayne County (646.2 MW).[1]
Nebraska: no interest in a wind or solar resource on a tract of land may be severed from the surface estate.[3]
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Nebraska
Selling Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Antelope County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Boone County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Holt 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] Nebraska Revised Statute 76-3004: Interest in wind or solar resource; restriction on severance — Nebraska Legislature (accessed November 1, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties.
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