The surge in AI data center construction, coupled with a shortage of new gas turbines, is driving developers to seek out used and refurbished gas turbines globally, and even converting retired aircraft engines into power generation equipment. Wood Mackenzie data shows that global gas turbine orders have exceeded 100GW, while manufacturers' annual production capacity is only about 60-70GW. The average delivery cycle for new equipment in the US is about 6 years, with some orders already scheduled for delivery in 2030-2031. In terms of price, well-maintained used equipment costs approximately $1.5 million-1.7 million per megawatt, while refurbished equipment costs about $1.3 million, lower than the $2 million-2.5 million of new equipment. Some developers are even deploying multiple small gas turbines in combination. Reuters, citing Enverus, reports that the used market can only partially alleviate the supply shortage; the existing equipment stock is limited, and grid connection and approvals remain bottlenecks for construction.
