Turbine availability for geothermal projects
Turbine shortages could negatively impact geothermal project development
Details
Core information and root causes
Context
Three companies will need to supply most of the historic demand for new gas plants: GE Vernova, Siemens Energy, and Mitsubishi Power — who together serve over 75 percent of projects under construction. Booming demand for turbines has led each of these companies to report extended delivery timelines. Mitsubishi states that turbines ordered today will not be delivered until 2028–2030. Siemens reports a record backlog of €131 billion (US$148 billion). And GE Vernova has announced new turbines will not be available until late 2028 at the earliest. When delivery backlogs exceed the expectations of developers and utilities, they can create unexpected delays and project cost overruns. - Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)1
Industry Commentary
"There aren't many turbine manufacturers in general, and most of their orders for the next couple of years are already locked up."
- Member of Geothermal Industry Association
"Lead time for Transformers and generators/turbines – can be more than a year, mostly made outside the US"