Wind and Solar Leasing in Coke County, Texas

525 megawatts, 191 turbines, 80 leased properties

Aviator Wind, built in Coke County between 2018 and 2020, was developed by Apex Clean Energy and has been repeatedly described in energy trade press as the largest single-phase, single-site wind project completed in the United States at the time. The facility comprises 191 GE 2 MW-platform onshore turbines -- reported as a mix of 136 GE 2.72 MW-rated turbines with 116-meter rotor diameters and 90-meter hub heights, and 55 larger units with 127-meter rotor diameters -- for a combined 525 megawatts of capacity. Bringing the project together required leases from 80 separate landowners across the county, making it one of the largest coordinated private land-lease efforts in the county's history.

Two power buyers, two project phases, one ownership chain

The project was structured in two sections with separate long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs): Facebook signed a 200 MW PPA for Aviator Wind's eastern section with Ares Management and Apex Clean Energy in September 2019, followed by a 220 MW PPA with McDonald's Corporation covering the western portion. Ares Management financed and completed construction before selling the operating project; NorthStar Clean Energy is now reported as the majority owner and operator, with Kansai Electric Power holding a minority stake. For a landowner with an existing Aviator Wind lease, that ownership history matters practically -- the entity actually managing day-to-day operations, maintenance access, and lease-payment administration today may not be the same company that originally signed the lease.

A real, reported fiscal impact on the county

Beyond individual landowner payments, Aviator Wind has been reported to carry a meaningful county-wide fiscal footprint: a projected $142 million in tax revenue and $172 million in total landowner payments over the project's operating life, plus roughly 425 construction jobs and about 30 permanent operations positions. In 2020 alone, the project reportedly generated $1.6 million for Coke County -- described in that reporting as equal to 72% of the county's total expenditures the year before. These figures come from a company-published account rather than an audited county budget document, so a buyer relying on them for a specific financial decision should ask the Coke County Auditor or Appraisal District directly for verified, current numbers rather than treating the company's figures as an official county record.

What this means if you're considering a wind or solar lease here

1. Ask any company approaching you about a new lease who currently operates Aviator Wind (reported as NorthStar Clean Energy with Kansai Electric Power as a minority partner) -- it's a useful reference point for gauging whether a new developer is a first-time entrant to the county or connected to the existing project's ownership chain.
2. Have a landowner-side attorney experienced in Texas wind and solar leases review any proposed lease, easement, and decommissioning-bond terms before signing -- payment structures, term lengths, and turbine-siting setbacks from your own residence or property line vary by contract and are not standardized across projects.
3. Ask the Coke County Appraisal District how an existing or proposed wind lease affects the appraised value and any agricultural-valuation status of the specific tract, since lease income and non-agricultural structures (turbine pads, access roads, substations) can change how a parcel is valued.
4. If your land is near existing Aviator Wind turbines but not part of the lease, confirm setback distances and any noise, shadow-flicker, or access-road provisions that could affect an adjoining, non-participating parcel -- Coke County's lack of general zoning means these questions are more likely to be governed by the developer's own agreements and any applicable state rules than by a county zoning ordinance.