Companies are converting aircraft engines to gas turbines amid rising energy demand.
The solution should close the capacity shortage and supply queues for traditional turbines.
Demand from the AI industry is stimulating the emergence of new players in the energy market.
As AI infrastructure expands, companies are looking for alternative sources of electricity for their data centers. One solution is converting aircraft jet engines into land-based gas turbines, writes WSJ .
FTAI Aviation, a company specializing in leasing and repairing aircraft engines, plans to start selling a modified version of the Boeing 737 engine. They will be used to create a solution for generating electricity as early as 2026.
The company's shares rose about 42% after announcing the launch of a new power turbine line in December 2025. However, the stock has since suffered a correction, and is trading at $286 in premarket trading on February 23
Jet engines for energy
Other players are also developing similar projects, the authors noted.
For example, ProEnergy sells turbines based on Boeing 747 engines. Similarly, Boom Supersonic plans to supply similar installations for AI data centers, in particular on order from the startup Crusoe.
Jet engines are suitable for land-based generation due to their high power and reliability, according to industry experts.
According to them, there are two main ways to adapt such equipment. The first is to convert it to run on natural gas instead of jet fuel. The second is to replace the large fan with a smaller one optimized for energy generation.
FTAI Aviation President David Moreno said the company needed 30 to 45 days to convert the engine into a power turbine, a solution that took about 18 months to develop.
New turbine market
Major energy equipment manufacturers — GE Vernova, Siemens Energy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries — already sell aeroderivative turbines, but delivery times are stretched for years, experts say, opening up a niche for new companies offering faster solutions.
Analysts estimate that about 1,600 aircraft engines are retired each year. Their conversion could significantly increase available capacity and partially address the electricity shortage for data centers.
Technology companies that are actively investing in AI are increasing demand for such solutions.
Global industry capital spending on AI infrastructure is expected to exceed $700 billion in 2026. This, in turn, could drive energy innovation and the development of alternative sources of generation, according to the authors of the material.