“The ‘invisible hand’ is at work to enable the dash-to-gas (and diesel too) in the catch-up period for economical, large-scale power generation.”
Climate alarmist/activist Jamie Skaar provided a ‘current’ from the POWERGEN International conference held in San Antonio. His summary on LinkedIn (no link: he blocked me) follows verbatim [with my additions in brackets].
Industry Leaders Signal Major Shift in Gas Turbine Market: Key Takeaways
“Recent insights … reveal an unexpected trend: Gas turbine demand is surging to levels not seen since the early 2000s. What’s driving this growth during our push toward renewables? The answer lies in the unprecedented expansion of data centers and electrification, creating extraordinary demand for reliable, round-the-clock power.”
“Let’s examine what industry leaders are seeing:
1. Current Market Dynamics
– Over 7,000 gas turbines operating in U.S. alone
– Lead times extending to 7-8 years for new projects [work-arounds are reducing this]
– Major manufacturers at maximum production capacity
– GE Vernova investing $600M in U.S. manufacturing expansion
2. Technical Evolution
– Modern combined cycle plants reduce [CO2] emissions 60%+ vs coal
– Manufacturers advancing hydrogen fuel capabilities [pie-in-the-sky]
– Carbon capture integration becoming commercially viable [with high subsidies; in certain areas]
– Efficiency improvements reducing environmental impact….”
Jamie Skaar concludes with the 1990s view of natural gas as the ‘bridge fuel” to sustainability:
The key insight: Rather than phasing out, gas turbines are being reimagined as a bridge technology that could extend well into the future, especially as innovations in hydrogen fuel and carbon capture mature.
He then assumes that businesses will want to “decarbonize” as if it was a per se good rather than a distraction and money-loser.
Questions for energy planners and developers: How are you balancing immediate capacity needs with long-term decarbonization goals? What role do you see for gas turbines in your region’s energy mix over the next decade?
Another Take
Yes, the market preference is for natural gas-fired power generation, not wind, solar, and batteries, which are a government play. Here was an update on gas turbine demand earlier this year by Jinjoo Lee, “How Jet Engines Are Powering Data Centers” (WSJ: February 18, 2026):
“Companies are converting aircraft engines to land-based natural-gas turbines for power generation in the AI boom,” he reports. “In the battle for AI dominance, every engine of the economy is getting recruited into the fight—including jet engines.” Details followed:
Jet-engine leasing and repair company FTAI Aviation plans to start selling a modified version of the engine used in the Boeing 737 to power data centers this year.,,, Others pursuing this conversion include ProEnergy, which sells natural-gas turbines that are adapted from the engine that powers the Boeing 747. Aircraft startup Boom Supersonic in December said it will start selling a modified version of its engine as a natural-gas power turbine. AI data-center startup Crusoe is its first customer and is expected to get its turbines in 2027.
Power-equipment giants GE Vernova, Siemens Energy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries already sell power turbines—known as aeroderivatives—that are modeled after jet engines. Aircraft-engine companies such as GE Aerospace, Howmet Aerospace and Woodward also sell land-based aeroderivative turbines or components.
The quick fix will bridge the gap until major power turbine manufactures catch up, their capacity being diverted to industrial wind turbines. Lee continues:
Yet many of these incumbents have yearslong wait lists for power turbines, opening up an opportunity for new market participants. FTAI Aviation’s President David Moreno said it takes the company 30 to 45 days to convert a jet engine to a power-generating turbine. He said designing the turbine, which kept as much of the original jet-engine features as possible, was a roughly 18
month undertaking. The company is well-positioned to tap this hot market: It is one of the largest owners of the CFM56 engine, the bestselling one in commercial aviation.
The ‘invisible hand’ is at work to enable to enable the dash-to-gas–and to diesel too–in the catch-up period for economical, large-scale power generation.