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Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Knox County, Texas

Quick answer

Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties. Knox County, Texas has five operating wind projects with 276 turbines and 983.5 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 Knox County

The projects came online between 2015 and 2022.[1] Three of these projects also have turbines outside Knox County; the table counts only the turbines in the county.[1] Turbine makers represented in the county: Vestas (132 turbines), GE Wind (97 turbines) and Acciona (47 turbines).[1]

ProjectOnlineTurbines in the countyCapacity in the county (MW)
Escalade202265336
El Campo202067242.8
Griffin Trail Wind202178220
Green Pastures II201547141
Horse Creek Wind20161943.7

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 Knox 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 2022.[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 Texas

Texas's wind power facility agreement law, Utilities Code Chapter 301, applies only to agreements entered into on or after September 1, 2019; an earlier agreement is governed by the law as it existed before that date.[3]

In Texas, a wind power facility agreement covered by Chapter 301 must make the grantee responsible for removing its facilities, including turbines, substations and buried cable to a depth of at least three feet.[4]

The Texas agreement must also require the grantee to deliver financial assurance for that removal, such as a parent company guaranty, a letter of credit or a bond.[4]

Chapter 301 as amended in 2025 by H.B. 3228 applies only to agreements entered into on or after September 1, 2025; an agreement entered into before that date is governed by the law as it existed immediately before it.[5]

Under a Texas agreement covered by Chapter 301, when ownership of the wind power facilities is transferred, the existing decommissioning financial security stays in place until the landowner receives security that meets the statute.[4]

The five states with the most electricity generation from wind in 2025 were Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois.[6]

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 Knox County, Texas?

Knox County, Texas has five operating wind projects with 276 turbines and 983.5 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 Knox County?

The projects are Escalade (2022, 336 MW), El Campo (2020, 242.8 MW), Griffin Trail Wind (2021, 220 MW), Green Pastures II (2015, 141 MW) and Horse Creek Wind (2016, 43.7 MW).[1]

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

Of the projects with a recorded year, two came online in the 2010s and three 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 Texas counties also have wind projects?

Nearby Texas counties with wind projects include Foard County (552.8 MW), Haskell County (757 MW), Baylor County (533.6 MW), Hardeman County (252.7 MW) and Throckmorton County (727.3 MW).[1]

What does Texas law say about wind leases?

Texas's wind power facility agreement law, Utilities Code Chapter 301, applies only to agreements entered into on or after September 1, 2019; an earlier agreement is governed by the law as it existed before that date.[3] In Texas, a wind power facility agreement covered by Chapter 301 must make the grantee responsible for removing its facilities, including turbines, substations and buried cable to a depth of at least three feet.[4]

Related pages

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Texas

Selling Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments

Oil and gas mineral rights in Knox County, Texas

Mineral rights in Texas

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Foard County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Haskell County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Baylor County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Hardeman County

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Throckmorton 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] H.B. 2845 (86th Legislature, 2019), enrolled: wind power facility agreements — Texas Legislature (accessed November 3, 2026)

[4] Texas Utilities Code, Chapter 301: Wind Power Facility Agreements — Texas Legislature (accessed November 1, 2026)

[5] H.B. 3228 (89th Legislature, 2025), enrolled: wind and solar power facility lease provisions — Texas Legislature (accessed November 3, 2026)

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

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