this post was submitted on 03 Nov 2026
75 points (97.5% liked)

Technology

89408 readers
4527 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots


founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 

They’re rapidly being converted into generators to meet A.I.’s insatiable demand for electricity. Environmentalists call it a step backward.

Archived copy of the article

top 18 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] cecilkorik@lemmy.ca 18 points 3 hours ago (3 children)

Since jet fuel is a very similar grade of fuel to diesel, is this where all the diesel is going and why diesel prices are astronomical now? I know the wars are also not helping, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is contributing too.

[–] lorty@lemmy.ml 1 points 14 minutes ago

Diesel is expensive because of the war in the middle east. Anything else is a rounding error next to that.

[–] giant_smeeg@feddit.uk 2 points 1 hour ago

They don't run on jetfuel once converted, either natural gas or diesel. Diesel costs a fortune compared to natural gas in a gas turbine.

I work for a gas turbine OEM and almost exclusively our turbines run on gas with diesel as a backup fuel supply in case of a supply side shortage.

However in this market who knows, they probably can tanker in diesel ASAP rather than waiting for natural gas infrastructure.

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 10 points 2 hours ago

Contributing, yes. In a meaningful way to prices, no. Both the supply and transportation (boats, routes, pipes) of fuel have been reduced.

[–] o8bepbua9@lemmy.world 10 points 2 hours ago (3 children)

Wow this can't be efficient. Jet engines are primarily designed to produce thrust. But looks like Musk got special permission from the state to pollute more, so all's good!

[–] Nomecks@lemmy.ca 2 points 44 minutes ago

This isn't something new. Jet engines have been converted to power use for decades because once they are beyond the aircraft service life they are still useful for generating power

really needs to be killed and all his sons sterilized.

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 9 points 2 hours ago

It is. Jet engines are very efficient. But they also have to run high to reach that efficiency. But if you're running at high power for most of the time, like a jet aircraft or datacenter generator, then it makes sense. It doesn't matter whether your turbine shaft is connected to a fan or an electric generator rotor.

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Who doesn’t love hearing jet engines blasting 24/7 in their neighborhood?

[–] thejml@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

I lived in a city with an air force base for a while. People had bumper stickers pointing out that they "Love Jet Noise" and that it is the sound of freedom.

[–] atrielienz@lemmy.world 1 points 52 minutes ago

The "I love Jet Noise" bumper stickers were the first thing I thought of.

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 hours ago

Giving yourself Alzheimer's to own the libs

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

to power data centers

To power shitty datacenters built by future defendants, you mean?

[–] thinkingofyouihaveananxietydisorder@quokk.au 1 points 46 minutes ago* (last edited 46 minutes ago)

defendants? do you mean left appropriation of strange fruit?

[–] determinist@kbin.earth 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)
[–] jobbies@lemmy.zip 1 points 29 minutes ago* (last edited 28 minutes ago)

For real. Most likely those planes were retired for their inefficiency. Now its totally fine to turn the engines into generators - rather than using clean sources of energy. What are we playing at.

[–] MrSulu@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 hours ago

Interesting economic approach to offset the (at least.) $22 billion deficit.

[–] random_character_a@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

I was just wondering what would be the most expensive question you can ask AI in a free tier.

Lets put those engines to work and have a little more deficit.