Siemens Energy, one of the world’s three major gas-turbine manufacturers, said competition for power in Europe — driven by data centres and electrification projects — has intensified to the point that customers are paying reservation fees to secure positions in turbine production queues. CEO Christian Bruch said demand is so high that European buyers are now willing to pay reservation fees. With grid connections for data centres taking long lead times, some operators are opting to build on-site

Siemens Energy, one of the world’s three major gas-turbine manufacturers, said competition for power in Europe — driven by data centres and electrification projects — has intensified to the point that customers are paying reservation fees to secure positions in turbine production queues. CEO Christian Bruch said demand is so high that European buyers are now willing to pay reservation fees. With grid connections for data centres taking long lead times, some operators are opting to build on-site generation to accelerate commissioning. Siemens Energy’s gas services head Karim Amin said customers seeking roughly six-month manufacturing slots typically pay fees equal to about 10–15% of a turbine’s purchase price. Manufacturers’ capacity is largely booked through the end of the decade, and Siemens Energy reports a conversion rate above 90%, so most reservations become firm contracts.