Elon Musk has said SpaceX plans to manufacture key components for gas turbines internally as the company looks for ways to meet the enormous electricity demands created by its expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Musk made the disclosure on Saturday in a post on X, arguing that solar energy alone would not be sufficient to support the rapid growth of AI-related computing facilities.
He said SpaceX and Tesla were working to establish large-scale solar panel manufacturing plants “as fast as possible”, but acknowledged that additional energy sources would still be required as electricity demand continues to rise.
“Natural gas will still be needed to supplement and bootstrap solar for several years,” Musk said.
According to the billionaire, SpaceX intends to manufacture its own gas turbine blades and vanes, components that are considered technically challenging to produce.
“By doing in-house casting at SpaceX, we can accelerate natural gas turbines coming online by up to 18 months, which is a profound game-changer,” he said.
The Information had earlier reported on SpaceX’s plans, while job advertisements published by the company indicate that it is recruiting workers for a “blades and vanes foundry” in Bastrop, Texas. The facility is also home to manufacturing operations for SpaceX’s Starlink terminals.
One of the job descriptions described electricity generation as a major potential obstacle to the continued expansion of artificial intelligence.
“Power generation poses one of the key challenges that could slow the worldwide adoption of AI,” the description stated.
The rapid growth of AI has triggered a major expansion of data centres across the United States, placing additional pressure on electricity supplies and generating opposition in some communities.
Several major technology companies have turned to natural gas as part of efforts to secure reliable power for their growing data-centre operations. OpenAI, Amazon and Microsoft have entered partnerships involving natural gas generation, while Meta’s Hyperion data centre in northern Louisiana is expected to require 10 new gas power plants.
The increasing demand for gas-powered generation has also contributed to a shortage of gas turbines globally. Some aerospace companies have begun exploring the conversion of jet engines into turbines that can generate electricity for data centres.
SpaceX has already deployed mobile gas turbines to supply power to its Colossus data centres in Mississippi and Tennessee. The installations have reportedly faced complaints from nearby communities over noise and pollution.
SpaceX, like several other major technology companies, has been investing heavily in computing infrastructure as it seeks to develop increasingly advanced AI systems.
The company reportedly spent $16 billion on AI infrastructure during the second quarter of 2026, with executives telling investors that spending was expected to remain at “very similar” levels over the following two quarters.
