Gas turbines: Meeting the power demands of data centers

Reliability is a cornerstone of the data center industry, making power generation a mission-critical function. Both heavy-duty and aeroderivative gas turbines are engineered for dependable performance in high-stakes environments. Aeroderivative turbines—derived from aviation engines—are known for their fast start and proven reliability, while heavy-duty turbines offer robust, high-capacity output ideal for baseloads. These technologies are already trusted in critical applications like hospitals, medical centers, and industrial facilities. If we trust gas turbines to power life-saving infrastructure and global aviation, they’re more than ready to power our data-driven world.

Yes. One of the key advantages of gas turbine technology—both aeroderivative and heavy-duty—is its scalability. Operators can start with a smaller configuration, such as a 20–30 MW aeroderivative unit, and add capacity over time as data center demand grows. For larger or hyperscale applications, heavy-duty turbines offer high-output solutions that meet continuous, large-scale power needs. Whether you're building a regional data hub or a hyperscale campus, gas turbine solutions offer the flexibility to grow with your operations—reliably and efficiently.

Gas turbines—both aeroderivative and heavy-duty—can play a strategic role in a wide range of data center use cases. Whether the generation assets are owned by the data center itself, a utility, or an independent power producer (IPP), gas turbines offer flexible solutions to meet growing and mission-critical energy demands. 

In areas with unreliable grid infrastructure, aeroderivative gas turbines can serve as the primary power source, providing dependable, continuous energy. Aeroderivative turbines are especially suited for these applications due to their fast start capability and fuel flexibility—with the ability to run on natural gas, diesel, ethanol, and even hydrogen. 

They’re also ideal for backup power. With the ability to ramp up in five minutes, aeroderivative gas turbines can seamlessly cover load during utility outages, maintaining uptime for critical operations. In hybrid configurations, they can be paired with batteries to provide ultra-fast response and enhanced grid services. GE Vernova is a leader in hybrid systems, including Enhanced Gas Turbine (EGT) solutions that combine gas turbines and storage for improved flexibility. 

For temporary or transitional needs—like during testing, commissioning, or utility delays—mobile gas turbine units such as the TM2500 can provide bridge power to keep data center projects on track. 

Across all these use cases, gas turbine systems can also be configured to export power back to the grid, helping offset investment costs and enabling a more dynamic role in the broader energy ecosystem.

Diesel generators have been serving the data centers segment for years, and they were a good fit at the time. But in today’s 5G world, with cloud computing and AI online activity leaving a carbon footprint, diesel is not a sustainable solution. It could still be relevant in some cases, but when we get to the point where Megabytes and MWH are at the higher side of the curve, there’s a need for a more power dense solution—especially in areas where real estate is an issue or decarbonization targets are pressing. Aeros are more reliable than diesel generators, and they have dual fuel capability. So it’s time to think differently about how we can cover growing data center needs outside of the conventional backup umbrella. 

The response of GE Vernova’s gas turbines—both aeroderivative and heavy-duty—depends on how they are configured and the specifics of the power market they operate in. When connected to the grid and running, these units can actively support grid stability by regulating frequency and voltage, or by providing inertia in response to sudden load variations. 

In situations where real-time pricing is a factor, gas turbines can be dispatched based on economic signals—but this requires integration with the right control systems. GE Vernova offers microgrid and plant controllers capable of enabling this functionality, including modules for price-based dispatch and advanced grid support. 

Whether acting as baseload, peaking units, or part of a hybrid solution, our gas turbines can be configured to respond intelligently to both operational and economic triggers—providing flexibility in a wide range of power segments. 

The data center industry prioritizes four key metrics: reliability, availability, redundancy, and cost-effectiveness. These standards—often guided by organizations like the Uptime Institute—reflect the mission-critical nature of data center operations, where even brief outages can have consequences. 

Gas turbines, including both aeroderivative and heavy-duty models, are well-aligned with these metrics. Aeroderivative turbines, derived from aircraft engine technology, are known for their exceptional reliability and rapid start-up capabilities, making them ideal for applications where uptime is of high importance. Heavy-duty turbines offer robust, sustained output for larger-scale operations with consistent performance and strong lifecycle economics. 

With the right configuration, gas turbines can serve as primary power, backup generation, or part of a hybrid system, supporting high availability and redundancy targets while helping data center operators manage long-term costs and energy risk.