Artificial intelligence data center developers are modifying retired commercial aircraft engines into on-site generators to bypass multi-year delays in connecting to traditional electrical grids, The New York Times reported on December 3.
The practice has emerged as the rapid expansion of power-hungry AI infrastructure outpaces the capacity of regional power grids. Connecting a new facility to standard electrical transmission lines routinely takes several years. Developers now bypass that bottleneck by hauling old aircraft engines to project sites in the Arizona desert and other locations to generate electricity directly on site, according to The New York Times.
Modifying Boeing Jet Engines for Natural Gas Power
The conversion process strips the large fans from retired jet engines previously used on aircraft such as Boeing jets. Technicians adapt the turbines to burn natural gas and connect them to electrical generators. This setup allows data center operators to produce power locally while waiting for utility companies to build out regional transmission capacity.
Bill Clayman, chief executive officer of AI infrastructure firm Apollo, told The New York Times that the approach would have seemed unreasonable just a few years ago. Speed has become the overriding priority for operators. Audun Martinsen, an analyst at energy research firm Rystad Energy, told The New York Times that modified jet engines allow operators to bring a data center online within approximately 24 months, cutting past standard grid connection queues.
ProEnergy Converts Aircraft Engines into Power Generators
ProEnergy, an equipment supplier, converts aircraft engines into generators capable of producing 50 megawatts of electricity per unit, The New York Times reported. The company states that a single converted engine generates enough electricity to power roughly 15,000 households.
Commercial activity surrounding the equipment is accelerating. In July, a joint venture involving aircraft engine maintenance firm FTAI Aviation signed a supply agreement worth approximately $1.5 billion with an overseas cloud computing provider to deliver converted generators, according to The New York Times.
Jet Engines Sacrifice Fuel Efficiency and Air Quality
The makeshift power generation method carries significant operational trade-offs. Converted jet engines feature lower fuel efficiency than standard stationary gas turbines designed specifically for power plants, and they emit higher levels of pollutants.
Environmental organizations have criticized the practice, warning that the rush to secure power for artificial intelligence workloads places disproportionate burdens on local air quality and surrounding communities, The New York Times reported.
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