Data centers are turning to old jet engines as the wait for power grows
The years-long wait for access to the grid and new turbines is causing data center builders to turn to an unusual, less efficient and less environmentally friendly solution: once-discarded jet engines.
Power supply delays are forcing AI data centers to generate their own electricity, according to a report by the New York Times. Some of these facilities are powering themselves with converted jet engines, which are being rebuilt from retired aircraft and adapted to burn natural gas. While not a permanent solution, these engines offer rapid deployment time, with a data center up and running in just 24 months, as opposed to the seven-year wait for grid connections or new turbines.
The International Energy Agency estimates that most power capacity will come online by 2031. Companies like Microsoft and Elon Musk's xAI are already using this technology, with Microsoft dropping out of a data center project in England due to power supply issues. Crusoe, a Denver-based startup, is constructing a data center in Abilene, Texas, and has already ordered 13 of these converted units.
However, these engines are less efficient, emit more pollution, and require more units to generate the same amount of power as conventional gas turbines.
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