# Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Adams County, North Dakota

> Adams County, North Dakota: two wind projects, 155.5 MW. Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties.

- URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota/adams
- Last updated: 2026-11-03
- 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 Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties) › [North Dakota](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota) › Adams County

Quick answer

Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties. Adams County, North Dakota has two operating wind projects with 59 turbines and 155.5 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 Adams County

The projects came online between 2015 and 2018.^\[1\] Turbine makers represented in the county: Nordex (59 turbines).^\[1\]

| Project | Online | Turbines in the county | Capacity in the county (MW) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Thunder Spirit | 2015 | 43 | 107.5 |
| Thunder Spirit II | 2018 | 16 | 48 |

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 Adams 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 2018.^\[1\] 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 North Dakota

North Dakota: apart from wind easements, an interest in the wind resource may not be severed from the surface estate, but a seller of real estate may keep payments from an existing wind energy project.^\[3\]

North Dakota: a wind option, wind easement or wind lease is void after five years unless any required certificate of site compatibility or conditional use permit has issued and a transmission interconnection request is in process and not under suspension.^\[3\]

## 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 Adams County, North Dakota?

Adams County, North Dakota has two operating wind projects with 59 turbines and 155.5 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 Adams County?

The projects are Thunder Spirit (2015, 107.5 MW) and Thunder Spirit II (2018, 48 MW).^\[1\]

### Can I sell wind lease payments or royalties in Adams 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 Adams County come online?

Of the projects with a recorded year, two came online in the 2010s.^\[1\] 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 North Dakota counties also have wind projects?

Nearby North Dakota counties with wind projects include Hettinger County (149 MW), Stark County (169.7 MW), Bowman County (228.2 MW), Mercer County (17.5 MW) and Morton County (484.5 MW).^\[1\]

### What does North Dakota law say about wind leases?

North Dakota: apart from wind easements, an interest in the wind resource may not be severed from the surface estate, but a seller of real estate may keep payments from an existing wind energy project.^\[3\] North Dakota: a wind option, wind easement or wind lease is void after five years unless any required certificate of site compatibility or conditional use permit has issued and a transmission interconnection request is in process and not under suspension.^\[3\]

## Related pages

[Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in North Dakota](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota)

[Selling Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties)

[Oil and gas mineral rights in Adams County, North Dakota](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/northdakota/adams-nd)

[Mineral rights in North Dakota](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/northdakota)

[Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Hettinger County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota/hettinger)

[Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Stark County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota/stark)

[Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Bowman County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota/bowman)

[Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Mercer County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota/mercer)

[Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Morton County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/wind-royalties/northdakota/morton)

## Sources

\[1\] [U.S. Wind Turbine Database (version 9.1, released September 28, 2026)](https://energy.usgs.gov/uswtdb/) — 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](https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Project/Nyserda/Files/Publications/Research/Biomass-Solar-Wind/NY-Wind-Energy-Guide-3.pdf) — New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) (accessed November 1, 2026)

\[3\] [North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 17-04: Wind Energy Property Rights](https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t17c04.pdf) — North Dakota Legislative Branch (accessed November 1, 2026)

## Ready to Sell Your Wind Lease Payments or Royalties?

Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties.

[Get a Free Written Offer](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell#inquiry:source=%2Fwind-royalties%2Fnorthdakota%2Fadams&county=Adams+County)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**When did wind projects in Adams County come online?**
Of the projects with a recorded year, two came online in the 2010s. 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.

## 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