Urgency and Positioning of Gas Turbines in Future Power System Report

On 24 March 2026 during Annual General Meeting, ETN Global presented the newly published report, titled “Urgency and Positioning of Gas Turbines in Future Power System – a quantitative assessment of dispatchable capacity needs”, which explores the role of gas turbines in Europe’s energy systems up to 2040. As the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands move towards a low-carbon future, the study investigates how these assets can remain relevant alongside growing renewable energy sources.

Key findings

• Strategic role and stability: While the function of gas turbines (GTs) is shifting from bulk energy provision to balancing the system, they remain a structural component of the grid by providing essential “firm capacity” during long periods of low renewable output.
• Necessary policy intervention: While GTs remain critical through 2040, declining full-load hours will create a revenue gap. Thus, transitioning from wholesale electricity markets to capacity remuneration mechanisms and low-carbon business models is essential to ensure plant availability and grid stability.
• Urgency for investment: A significant portion of the current turbine fleet is ageing, with 29–60% expected to exceed a 35-year lifespan by 2040. Because new projects can take up to eight years to develop, the report warns that delayed investment decisions could pose a risk to national energy security.

 Purpose of the report

The report aims to provide a technically grounded basis for policy makers and grid operators to plan future energy infrastructure. It argues that while renewable energy is the goal, stable investment frameworks and new business models are needed to ensure that flexible, low-carbon gas turbine capacity is available when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining.

The report is part of the activities of our Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels Working Group. It was written by a team consisting of Nils Hendrik Petersen (RWTH Aachen University), Christian Goßrau (RWTH Aachen University), and Jon Runyon (Uniper) with the support of the ETN Global secretariat.

We would like to thank especially (in alphabetical order): Jeffrey Benoit (PSM), Adnan Eroglu (Siemens Energy), Dieter Krapp (ETN Global), Peter Kutne (DLR), Peter Jansohn (ETN Global), Renaud Le Pierres (Parker Hannifin), Peter Stuttaford (Pathwaze Energy), and Erik van Loenen (Woodward).

The Report can be downloaded here.