A new report published on October 30, 2026, by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the National Energy Technology Laboratory, and the Gas Turbine Association warns that growing electricity demand is straining the global gas turbine supply chain. The findings highlight mounting pressures on manufacturing capacity and the need for technological solutions.
Drivers of Turbine Demand
According to the report, growing electricity demand from AI data centers, industrial electrification, and aging power infrastructure is driving up the need for gas turbines. Global gas turbine orders reached approximately 103 gigawatts in 2025, marking a 72 percent increase from the previous year.
Participants at the Innovating the Gas Turbine Supply Chain Workshop noted that many turbines installed around 2000 are entering major overhaul cycles. Furthermore, lead times for some large turbines now exceed five years.
Proposed Solutions and Technologies
To address manufacturing constraints, experts identified specialty materials, advanced manufacturing, and digital technologies as key opportunities. Utilizing additive manufacturing, alternative materials, and recycling can help expand production and repair capacity for critical components.
Additionally, the report points to digital twins, predictive maintenance, and manufacturing data systems as tools to monitor performance, test maintenance scenarios, and reduce unexpected downtime.
Key facts and where they come from
- Global gas turbine orders reached approximately 103 gigawatts in 2025.
global gas turbine orders reached approximately 103 gigawatts in 2025, a 72 percent increase from the previous year
- Lead times for some large gas turbines now exceed five years.
lead times for some large turbines now exceed five years.
