AI data centers are turning to second-hand gas turbines, with new machine delivery cycles lasting up to 6 years

According to a report by Decrypt, due to the long delivery cycle of new gas turbines, AI data center developers are turning to second-hand gas turbines and retired jet engines. Data from the energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie shows that the average delivery time for new gas turbines in the United States has reached 6 years, with related delivery discussions focusing on 2030 and 2031. Reuters reports that global gas turbine orders have exceeded 100 gigawatts, while manufacturers' annual production capacity is estimated to be only 60 to 70 gigawatts. Siemens Energy, GE Vernova, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have all stated that order growth exceeds production capacity.

One response is to retrofit gas turbines based on aircraft jet engine technology. AI infrastructure company Crusoe ordered 13 units from ProEnergy in Missouri in April, each with a rated power of 50 megawatts, totaling 650 megawatts, for future data centers in the United States. Equipment brokers and energy analysts say that well-maintained second-hand turbines sell for about $1.5 million to $1.7 million per megawatt, while new ones cost about $2 million to $2.5 million per megawatt.

The International Energy Agency expects global data center electricity consumption to increase from 485 terawatt-hours in 2025 to 950 terawatt-hours in 2030, with electricity consumption for AI facilities expected to double during the same period. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that stationary turbines and engines used by data centers must comply with federal air pollution standards. Finnish manufacturer Wärtsilä told Reuters that it has received orders for about 3 gigawatts of gas engine generators from U.S. data centers since spring 2025.