Summary of Key Points
The surge in AI computing power has led to a dramatic increase in global electricity demand. Tech giants, in order to ensure stable power supply for their data centers, have flocked to invest in natural gas power generation projects, which has directly driven a boom in orders for gas turbines (orders increased by 71% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, with prices tripling over three years, and deliveries scheduled until 2030). At the same time, these companies, which once promised carbon neutrality, have begun to renege on their commitments—withdrawning from renewable energy initiatives, delaying emission reduction targets, and seeing their carbon emissions continue to rise, highlighting the sharp contradiction between "green ideals" and the "reality of AI development."
Why Have Gas Turbines Suddenly Become So Popular?
The surge in sales of gas turbines is not accidental; it is driven by the intense electricity demand from AI data centers:
1. High Power Consumption by AI: The International Energy Agency predicts that data center electricity demand will grow at an average annual rate of 15% from 2024 to 2030, with AI being a major contributor. Of the additional 80 GW of power demand for new data centers in the United States, 55 GW cannot be met by the public grid (due to its aging and frequent failures).
2. Other Energy Sources Falling Short: Wind and solar power are dependent on weather conditions (they stop working on cloudy or windy days), making them unsuitable for the 24/7 operation required by AI. Nuclear power plants take more than five years to build, while data centers can be up and running in just a few months, creating a mismatch in timing. Coal-fired power also has high emissions and requires three years to construct.
3. Natural Gas as a Perfect Solution: Gas turbines burn natural gas, providing stable power supply (24/7) with construction times of only 1-1.5 years, and they emit over 50% less carbon than coal-fired power. Additionally, natural gas is cheaper and more abundant in North America, resulting in lower costs.
As a result, companies like GE and Siemens have orders scheduled until 2030, and Chinese company Jierui Co., Ltd. received an order worth 16 billion yuan in one year (equivalent to its entire annual revenue), making gas turbines extremely scarce.
Tech Giants' Carbon Neutrality Commitments: From Ambitious Plans to Secretive Backtracking
These companies once made bold claims about carbon neutrality:
- Meta promised carbon neutrality across its entire value chain by 2030.
- Microsoft aimed for negative carbon emissions by 2030.
- Google set a net-zero goal for 2030.
But now everything has changed:
- Meta has withdrawn from the global renewable energy initiative RE100 to build 10 natural gas power plants.
- Google no longer mentions its net-zero goal, replacing it with a "Climate Moonshot" (implying uncertainty about achievement).
- Microsoft is considering delaying its "100% zero-carbon energy" target and has purchased seven gas turbines (each costing $250 million).
- Amazon's carbon emissions have been rising year after year, with a spokesperson saying, "The world has changed."
Why have they retracted their commitments? Because the development of AI cannot wait, and renewable energy sources are not keeping up. They have no choice but to turn to natural gas—yet this contradicts their previous carbon neutrality pledges, leading to a quiet breach of contract.
Has Natural Gas Become a Long-Term Burden?
Natural gas was initially seen as a "transitional energy source" to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy. However, it may now become a long-term dependency:
1. Investment Considerations: Gas turbine projects cost hundreds of millions of dollars and are designed for long-term use; otherwise, the investment would be wasted.
2. Continuing Rise in Carbon Emissions: The carbon emissions of these four giants (Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta) have increased by 150% over three years, with Meta's emissions expected to soar by 64% in 2025. In the United States, natural gas will account for more than 40% of data center energy consumption in 2024 and will still be the primary source by 2030.
This is like taking out a high-interest loan for transition purposes, only to find yourself tied to it: the longer you use natural gas, the harder it becomes to move away from fossil fuels, and the further your carbon neutrality goals drift away.
The Dilemma Between Ideals and Reality: Choosing Between Carbon Neutrality and Energy Needs
The contradiction is clear: on one hand, AI development requires stable power supply (natural gas is the most reliable option), and on the other hand, carbon neutrality aims to reduce fossil fuel use. How can this be resolved?
- Changing Energy Landscape: The focus has shifted from "energy substitution" (renewable energy replacing fossil fuels) to "energy supplementation" (using a combination of various energy sources).
- Transitional Energy Sources Should Not Overtake the Main Goal: Natural gas can serve as a backup, but it cannot become the primary energy source; otherwise, carbon neutrality will be unattainable.
- Urgent Action Needed: We must address immediate issues, such as accelerating the development of nuclear and energy storage technologies to make renewable energy more reliable. Otherwise, transitional energy sources may lock in future emission reduction paths.
In summary, the development of AI is an essential need, but carbon neutrality cannot be ignored. Balancing current electricity consumption with future carbon reduction is a challenge that all countries must face.
This news report highlights that achieving carbon neutrality is not just about shouting slogans; it requires addressing real-world issues such as electricity demand, technological limitations, and economic costs. The ideal of carbon neutrality is beautiful, but the reality is tough.