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Wind land lease · WY

Lease your land for wind in Wyoming

Wyoming ranks 88/100 for wind land lease exceptional statewide suitability. Wyoming is a top-tier state for this use; provider competition is strong.

Free. Takes ~15 seconds. No account required.

In-depth Wyoming guide

Lease your Wyoming land for wind — best mean wind speeds in the West

Wyoming has some of the strongest mean wind speeds in the US. Per-turbine economics, top wind corridors, and lease considerations.

Wyoming has the highest mean wind speeds of any state outside the Great Plains. The Carbon County and Albany County wind corridors deliver consistent 8.5+ m/s at 80m hub heights — equivalent to coastal trade-wind areas. The state has invested heavily in transmission to enable wind exports to California and other Western markets.

Wyoming wind economics in 2026

  • Per-turbine royalty: $10,000-$15,000/yr (higher than most states due to superior wind resource)
  • Percentage-of-gross: 3-5% sometimes available
  • Construction-period payments: $50,000-$150,000 per turbine
  • A 1,000-acre Wyoming ranch hosting 10 turbines earns $100k-$150k/yr in base royalties

Top Wyoming wind regions

  • Carbon County (Sinclair area) — strongest sustained winds, Power Company of Wyoming megaproject
  • Albany County (Rock River area) — major existing development
  • Sweetwater County — emerging area with transmission additions
  • Converse County — newer development with transmission upgrades
  • Niobrara, Goshen, Platte — eastern plains; lower wind than Carbon but easier development

Active Wyoming developers

Pattern Energy (Rattlesnake wind project), PacifiCorp/Berkshire Hathaway Energy, EDF Renewables, NextEra Energy Resources, Power Company of Wyoming (Anschutz Corp), Invenergy.

Wyoming-specific considerations

  • Wind tax — Wyoming has a $1/MWh wind generation tax; this affects developer economics and indirectly your royalty negotiations
  • Federal land checkerboarding — many Wyoming ranches are split-estate with BLM. Verify what you own.
  • Sage grouse habitat — has affected some wind projects; verify habitat status
  • Pronghorn migration corridors — newer concern affecting permitting
  • Transmission constraints — some Wyoming wind needs upgrades for full export; project timing varies

Stacking with other uses

Wyoming wind stacks well with:

  • Cattle grazing (turbines occupy <1% of leased acreage; grazing continues)
  • Oil & gas leasing (subsurface; Wyoming has active Powder River + Niobrara + Green River basins)
  • Hunting leases (antelope, mule deer; $10-$25/ac/yr)
  • Conservation easements (Wyoming has strong land trust presence)

A 2,000-acre Carbon County ranch combining wind royalty (8 turbines × $12k = $96k) + cattle grazing ($25k) + hunting ($15k) = $136k/yr.

Next step

Run a free Landholder.com assessment — we use NREL wind data for your Wyoming parcel.

Quick reference — wind land lease basics

  1. 1
    Site assessment

    Developers map wind resource, terrain, transmission, and parcel size. They typically need 80+ contiguous acres to fit a single turbine with setbacks.

  2. 2
    Option period

    A 3-5 year wind easement / option agreement pays modest annual fees while developers build out a project area with neighboring landowners.

  3. 3
    Construction

    On project approval, turbines are installed (6-12 months). You receive a construction-period payment plus ongoing royalties.

  4. 4
    Royalty stream

    30+ year royalty based on per-turbine annual payment, percentage of gross revenue, or production-based formula.

FAQ — Wind land lease in Wyoming

Can I still farm or graze under turbines?

Yes. Turbines occupy 0.5-1 acre each. The rest of the leased land remains in active agricultural use.

How long are wind leases?

Typically 30-50 years with extensions. Initial easement option period is 3-5 years before construction.

Will I own the turbines?

No. The developer owns and operates them. At end of term, they remove turbines and restore the site.

Which states are best?

Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming. The 'wind belt' runs from West Texas up through the Dakotas.

See how your Wyoming parcel scores.

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