SpaceX to build Texas foundry for gas turbine components

Elon Musk has confirmed that SpaceX is developing a foundry in Bastrop, Texas, to manufacture gas turbine blades and vanes. The move aims to address a critical bottleneck in natural gas turbine production, which Musk claims could accelerate the deployment of new turbines by up to 18 months.

The initiative responds to surging electricity demand from AI data centers. As the International Energy Agency projects global data center electricity use to double by 2030, existing manufacturers like GE Vernova are facing capacity constraints. This scarcity has led major technology companies to consider building private gas-fired plants to support their infrastructure.

While Musk noted that SpaceX and Tesla are both targeting 100GW of annual solar production capacity, he emphasized that natural gas will remain a necessary supplement for several years. Financial analysts at Jefferies estimate the aerospace and industrial gas-turbine engine-products market at approximately $10 billion, though they suggest SpaceX’s turbine-related products may still be four years away from market availability.