Quick answer
The projects came online between 2001 and 2022.[1] Two of these projects also have turbines outside Upton County; the table counts only the turbines in the county.[1] Turbine makers represented in the county: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (165 turbines), GE Wind (80 turbines) and Nordex (77 turbines).[1]
One of the 372 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Mtn. Wind Ranch | 2001 | 213 | 276.9 |
| High Lonesome | 2019 | 77 | 259.9 |
| Appaloosa Run | 2022 | 62 | 171.9 |
| High Lonesome Expansion | 2020 | 19 | 43.7 |
| Unnamed project (Upton County) | 2019 | 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 2001.[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]
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 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.
Upton County, Texas has five operating wind projects with 372 turbines and 752.4 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 372 turbines in the county has no recorded capacity in the database, so the megawatt figures count the rest.[1]
The projects are King Mtn. Wind Ranch (2001, 276.9 MW), High Lonesome (2019, 259.9 MW), Appaloosa Run (2022, 171.9 MW), High Lonesome Expansion (2020, 43.7 MW) and Unnamed project (Upton County) (2019).[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, one came online in the 2000s, two in the 2010s and two 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 Texas counties with wind projects include Pecos County (652.8 MW), Crockett County (1,498.4 MW), Midland County (140.2 MW), Reagan County (262.5 MW) and Glasscock County (1,113.6 MW).[1]
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]
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Texas
Selling Wind Royalties and Wind Lease Payments
Oil and gas mineral rights in Upton County, Texas
Solar Lease Payments and Royalties in Upton County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Pecos County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Crockett County
Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Midland 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] 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)
Buckhead Energy buys wind lease payments and wind royalties.
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