American Supercritical wants to supercharge inefficient gas turbines powering data centers, turning them into miniature combined-cycle plants using supercritical carbon dioxide. This tech, already studied for decades, could boost efficiency by up to 50% without additional emissions. But the journey to market isn’t smooth, with challenges in supply chain and cost.
While supercritical CO2 systems promise a greener future, retrofitting all data center turbines might not spell zero emissions. The US plans to invest $7 trillion in data centers by 2030, making this technology a race to stay ahead in the AI revolution. China has already taken the plunge with its first geothermal plant, proving the potential.
The key, says cofounder Simon Shuham, is to retrofit existing systems, giving data centers a power boost without the hefty environmental cost. But achieving this on a large scale will require overcoming technical and financial hurdles. Innovators face the innovator’s dilemma: stick with the status quo or embrace a new, cleaner technology?
