Elon Musk’s plan to accelerate the production of natural-gas turbines for artificial intelligence data centres is raising fresh concerns over pollution and public health.
Musk said on Saturday that SpaceX is building a specialised foundry in Bastrop, Texas, to manufacture turbine blades and vanes, two critical components needed to produce gas turbines.
The announcement came after The Information reported that SpaceX had advertised jobs for workers at a “blades and vanes foundry.” The company has also acquired about 830 acres near its Starlink factory in Bastrop, according to AI infrastructure analyst Corey Trinetti.
Musk said manufacturing the components internally could bring gas turbines online up to 18 months faster.
The move comes as the rapid expansion of AI is creating a major demand for electricity. Data centres need enormous amounts of power to operate the computers used to develop and run AI systems, putting pressure on electricity grids.
The International Energy Agency estimates that electricity consumption by data centres worldwide could roughly double by 2030.
At the same time, GE Vernova, a major gas-turbine manufacturer, has said its production capacity is largely booked through 2030, as demand for turbines increases, partly because of the growth of AI infrastructure.
The shortage has pushed major technology companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, OpenAI and Microsoft, to consider natural-gas power plants as a faster way to provide electricity to their data centres.
The main challenge SpaceX is targeting is the production of turbine blades. The blades operate inside the hottest sections of gas turbines, where temperatures can reach about 3,000 to 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit.
They are made from specialised metal alloys and require a complex manufacturing process to withstand the extreme heat. Only a handful of companies worldwide currently have the ability to produce such blades at industrial scale.
If SpaceX succeeds in producing the components itself, it could reduce one of the major bottlenecks delaying the construction of new gas turbines.
However, the increased use of gas turbines is also attracting criticism because of the pollution they produce.
In Memphis, Tennessee, where SpaceXAI has used gas turbines to supply electricity to its Colossus data centres since 2024, the NAACP has accused the company of operating turbines without the permits and pollution controls required by federal law.
The organisation has raised concerns about emissions including smog-forming pollutants and formaldehyde, a chemical associated with respiratory problems and other health risks.
Researchers at the University of Memphis have also reported that their limited analysis found a slight deterioration in air quality around the data centre after it began operating.
The concerns extend beyond Memphis. In Virginia, where large numbers of data centres have been built, environmental groups have also raised questions about the use of gas turbines to provide electricity.
A study commissioned by the Piedmont Environmental Council estimated that emissions from eight gas turbines operating continuously at one facility could affect more than 2.5 million people across several counties.
The study estimated that the emissions could contribute to between 3.4 and 6.5 premature deaths each year, with annual health-related costs estimated at between $53m and $99m.
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Natural gas has become increasingly attractive to AI companies because it can provide electricity faster than waiting for new grid infrastructure to be built.
But the growing use of gas turbines is also intensifying concerns about air pollution, environmental damage and the health of communities located near data centres.
For Musk, producing turbine components in-house could help address a major obstacle to the expansion of AI infrastructure. For communities living near the new power plants, however, the push for faster electricity could come with a significant environmental cost.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
