Texas Wind & Solar Leases Are 50-Year Commitments. Don't Sign the Wrong One.
I fight for Texas landowners to ensure you get the right deal with the right developer.
"If I can't bring a real developer and improve your deal, I don't get paid."
Texas is No Place for Rookies
Landowners across West Texas are being approached by renewable energy developers with long-term proposals that can last 30 to 50+ years.
The wrong lease can create decades of hassle, missed opportunities, and legal headaches.
Most leases are written to protect developer economics, not landowners.
Small tweaks in payment structures, escalators, and deductions can add up to millions of dollars over the life of a project.
I Wrote These Deals from the Other Side
DevCore Power was founded by Dru Steubing, a renewable energy executive with over 20 years of U.S. development experience.
I Don't Practice Law. I Practice Leverage.
You need a good attorney for the legal language, and I'll be the first to tell you that. What your attorney won't tell you is whether the payment structure is competitive, whether the escalators keep pace, or whether the developer sitting across the table is worth a handshake. I negotiate the commercial terms that determine what you actually get paid and how your land gets treated.
Developer Vetting
I conduct a direct conversation with the developer to determine:
- Are they financially stable?
- Is this a priority project or just speculation?
- Do they understand the unique challenges of our area (interconnection, mineral rights, military training routes)?
Aggressive Lease Negotiation
I negotiate the "Non-Negotiables" that protect your legacy:
- Crystal Clear Payment Calculations: No hidden deductions.
- Ranch Rules: Strict operations rules covering gates, livestock, trash, dust, and access.
- Maps & Layouts: We see exactly where turbines, panels, and roads go, no surprises.
- Future Opportunities: Ensuring your lease doesn't block future income from pipelines, utilities, or data centers.
Long-Term Partnership
Most firms help you sign and move on. I don't. Ownership changes, projects get repowered, and battery storage gets added. When developers come back asking for amendments or waivers, I make sure you get paid for every concession.
Strategic Advocacy for Texas Landowners
The proposed Howard-Solstice 765kV Transmission Line -- a massive 370-mile joint venture between AEP Texas and CPS Energy -- is set to cross a significant portion of West and Central Texas. As one of the first extra-high-voltage lines of this scale in the state, it will require a standard 200-foot-wide right-of-way and lattice steel towers reaching up to 160 feet in height.
If your property is located within the project study area, early engagement is critical to protecting your land value and ensuring fair terms. I provide specialized expertise for landowners in:
Project Status & Timeline
The Solstice line is currently in the high-stakes routing and approval phase.
- February 2026: Transmission providers are filing formal Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) applications with the PUCT to lock in specific routes.
- Summer 2026: The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) is expected to issue final orders on the approved route.
- 2027 – 2029: Easement negotiations and land acquisition are anticipated to begin following final route approval.
- 2030: Target date for the line to be fully energized and in service.
Lease Agreement Non-Negotiables
Some things are nice to have. Others are non-negotiable. Here's what DevCore requires in every lease
Payment Calculations
Crystal Clear Statements with Every Payment
Community and Good Neighbor Agreements
Real money commitments protecting county roads, neighbors, and contributions to community resources like Fire Departments and EMS.
Maps and Layout Review
Maps that show exactly where everything goes—turbines, panels, roads, power lines—so there are no surprises when construction starts.
Ranch Rules
Strict operations rules covering gates, livestock, trash, dust, access, and communication, with real consequences when they’re not followed
Your Land, Your Future, Your Terms
Just as important, DevCore makes sure that wherever possible, your renewable lease does not block future opportunities. When pipelines, utilities, data centers or other income streams arise, I’ll make sure your wind or solar lease doesn’t stand in your way.
Dru Steubing
Founder
Developer-Side Experience Meets Landowner-Side Representation
DevCore was founded by Dru Steubing, a renewable energy executive with over 20 years of U.S. development experience, including senior leadership roles as Vice President of Development at Apex Clean Energy and Chief Development Officer at Galehead Development.
Renewable energy leases are not static documents. They function as financial instruments tied to power purchase agreements, merchant power markets, tax equity structures, financing covenants, and asset sales. DevCore brings developer-side economic fluency to landowner representation, ensuring leases are commercially viable, durable through ownership transitions, and enforceable over decades.