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Compliance, and Powering AI Infrastructure
Engineering the Future: Braden on Speed,
AI data centres are expanding at unprecedented speed. What major energy challenges does this create?
One of the biggest issues right now is turbine availability. There’s a lot of implied demand - projects being planned before they’re formally ordered - which creates the perception of a supply crunch. Manufacturers and vendors still have to plan around those forecasts, and that slows down quoting, design work, and the ability to keep data accurate.
We’re also seeing resistance to new transmission and distribution infrastructure. Communities don’t always want to pay for the upgrades needed to power these facilities, so many data centres are being built as standalone “inside-the-fence” plants. That solves timing issues but increases pressure on local natural gas and water resources. If you’re in an area with limited infrastructure - no transmission lines or transformers - you essentially have to build the entire capability yourself. That’s pushing data centres into more remote locations along gas pipelines where supply is reliable.
And everything comes down to speed. We’re quoting gigawatts of SCR systems at once, with multiple 1,000-megawatt projects happening simultaneously across several states. These aren’t peaking units anymore; they’re baseload turbines running around the clock. That adds complexity across supply chains, permitting, and emissions control.
Water limitations make it tougher. When water isn’t available for NOx control, required reduction rates increase dramatically - sometimes doubling reactors and catalyst volume. It’s a constant balance between speed, sustainability, and supply.
Let’s talk specifically about Braden’s drive technology. What innovations matter most for supporting data centres right now?
Our drive technology is one of the most significant shifts we’re bringing to the market. It reflects years of evolution focused on emissions control, simplicity, reliability, and speed to market. The biggest advancement is early compliance. A typical gas turbine needs 20–30 minutes to reach emissions compliance after start-up. With our drive technology, we can do it in about five minutes. Since most annual emissions occur during start-up, achieving compliance early dramatically improves total environmental impact and makes permitting far easier. Our systems are also more compact, more cost-effective, and perform efficiently across a wider operating range. Pair that with our bolted modular design and installation becomes much faster and safer. Instead of weeks of field welding, you’re bolting modules together in a matter of days. We always say: what takes a day in the shop takes five in the field. So, anything we can manufacture under controlled conditions improves predictability and quality.
Braden Drive Technology in action
Bob McGinty, Director of Marketing and Sales at the Braden Group, brings more than 35 years of experience in power generation - driving SCR innovation and advancing efficient exhaust-side solutions for gas turbines. In this exclusive interview, he shares how Braden is helping the industry meet the surging power demands of AI-driven data centres while shaping the future of cleaner, smarter energy.
Looking ahead, where do you see this all heading in the next few years?
Honestly, we’re still at the beginning. AI is accelerating demand far faster than anyone anticipated, and it’s pushing the entire energy sector to rethink design, responsiveness, and environmental performance.
At Braden, our focus is on that intersection of speed, innovation, and compliance - early- compliance systems, modular construction, plug- and-play solutions, hydrogen-ready designs. It’s all about building smarter, faster, more flexible emissions-compliant technology that can keep pace with the digital economy. These facilities aren’t one-off projects anymore; they’re becoming the backbone of global AI infrastructure. Being part of creating that energy foundation - helping power the next era of computing - is something we’re very proud of.
Read the full interview online at
www.braden.com Visit us at Powergen 2026 Stand 1143
www.modernpowersystems.com | November/December 2025 | 31
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