Posted on 02/27/2026 7:36:17 PM PST by SeekAndFind
AI-driven power demand is surging far faster than expected, but a shortage of heavy-duty gas turbines is creating a bottleneck.
Turbine makers like Siemens, GE Vernova, and Mitsubishi are ramping up production, but expansion projects could take up to 5 years.
Without enough gas capacity, AI growth could slow or grids may turn back to coal, potentially delaying coal plant retirements.
The surge in electricity demand in the world’s AI hotspots has prompted a comparable surge in demand for reliable supply. That surge was not expected. There are not enough gas turbines to secure that supply. This means the AI revolution would either have to slow down, or the grid would have to increase its reliance on coal.
Natural gas has in recent years been marketed as a so-called bridge fuel between coal and oil, on the one hand, and wind and solar, on the other. When it became clear that “bridge” is in fact its own country of low-emission baseload generation, natural gas became the object of vilification from activists, to the point that some claimed it was even more harmful for the atmosphere than coal. Then came the AI race.
As Big Tech majors rush to expand their artificial intelligence capabilities and applications, demand for electricity is going through the roof. That jump, however, comes after decades of modest to no growth, reflected in gas turbine makers’ flat production.
Now, they are having to boost this really fast, really high. In the meantime, those with the insatiable electricity demand are having to make do with alternatives—including repurposed jet fuel engines.
Siemens Energy, one of the world’s top three gas turbine makers, earlier this month reported that its gas services business had seen a record quarter in orders, with a total of 102 new turbines
(Excerpt) Read more at oilprice.com ...
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Why Do We Need Artificial Intelligence? Learn Here
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an essential part of our lives, helping to solve complex problems and improve everyday tasks. From voice assistants to advanced medical tools, AI is shaping the way we work and live. But why do we need artificial intelligence? The answer lies in its ability to handle tasks that require speed, accuracy, and data-driven decisions. AI assists in industries like healthcare, education, and transportation by offering solutions that humans may find time-consuming or difficult. With its growing presence, AI is making it easier to address challenges, create opportunities, and improve efficiency across various sectors.
https://www.digitalregenesys.com/blog/why-do-we-need-artificial-intelligence
And the idiots keep pushing EV’s.
First they sucked up all the high-end graphics cards...
I did a little research the other day. Some of these Large Language Models (LLM) search engines use many different sources, including Wokepedia.
G.I.G.O is still in effect.
It should be remembered that the Democrats forced the closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant which had supplied 25% of the electricity for NYC. Electricity is now forty percent more expensive in the city. There is little or no capacity to increase production. The high taxes and endless regulation of the capitalist hostile socialists is discouraging investment. Now investors realize that the New York area cannot provivide the electricity needed for AI , EVs and any real development.
Gee, why not just put up some more windmills and solar panels????
Piece of cake if you don’t mind having your AI just on sunny, windy days, and let the AI companies have your roof for their panels and yard for a windmill... and every other roof and yard in town.
What is wrong with coal? We have found ways to make it burn fairly clean, we have LOTS of it, and it is reliable. China is building coal plants in mass.
Fuel-wise, they're more efficient than gasoline/diesel cars. Do the math. We sold a car that got 30mpg all day and replaced it with a Tesla. The gas car cost us 10 cents/mile in fuel. The Tesla costs us 2.5 cents/mile in fuel if we charge it at home on the grid. Even if we only used public superchargers to charge it, it would still only cost us 7.5 cents/mile in fuel. I won't even go into the comfort and technology features of the Tesla, because nothing Detroit makes even comes close.
Actually, the Tesla costs us nothing in fuel because our home is solar-powered.
AI also seems very good at showing us things that don’t really exist. Don’t say there is not a danger there. When you can stop all the ones who create viruses & various malware,then maybe we are more ready for AI. In the meantime, thanks to AI, things in the illegal realm may only increase. I don’t know too much about the various uses of AI, but can’t it be used to create ever more versions of malware, etc.?
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