Quick answer
The projects came online in 2023.[1] One of these projects also has turbines outside Hughes County; the table counts only the turbines in the county.[1] Turbine makers represented in the county: GE Wind (20 turbines).[1]
One of the 21 turbines in the county has 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Bend Wind | 2023 | 20 | 56.4 |
| Unnamed project (Hughes County) | 2023 | 1 | 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]
South Dakota: wind and solar energy rights may not be severed from the surface estate but may be leased for up to fifty years, with lease payments made annually.[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.
Hughes County, South Dakota has two operating wind projects with 21 turbines and 56.4 MW of recorded capacity in the county, according to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (version 9.1, released September 28, 2026).[1] One of the 21 turbines in the county has no recorded capacity in the database, so the megawatt figures count the rest.[1]
The projects are North Bend Wind (2023, 56.4 MW) and Unnamed project (Hughes 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 South Dakota counties with wind projects include Hyde County (428.9 MW), Hand County (223.8 MW), Brule County (65.3 MW), Aurora County (100.2 MW) and Jerauld County (91.5 MW).[1]
South Dakota: wind and solar energy rights may not be severed from the surface estate but may be leased for up to fifty years, with lease payments made annually.[3]
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in South Dakota
Selling Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments
Mineral rights in South Dakota
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Hyde County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Hand County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Brule 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] South Dakota Codified Laws 43-13-19: Severance of wind or solar energy rights limited — South Dakota Legislature (accessed November 1, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties.
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