Gas turbine prices triple
For those who feel that natural gas is the preferred option in meeting the unprecedented electricity load demand increase that the grid will face over the coming years - they just got a bit more bad news.
The price of natural gas rose 56 percent last year and just spiked another 21 percent in the past month largely due to the fossil fuel shock caused by the conflict in Iran. But that is not this week's bad news for those advocating for electricity generated by natural gas.
Driven by increased electrification demand, especially around the expansion of data centers, the gas turbine market faces a significant supply shortage that will see prices surge through 2027, according to a new report from Wood Mackenzie. According to the report, global orders for turbines sat at 110 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2025, but global manufacturing capacity is only around 65 GW.
This has pushed prices to new highs, with the market anticipated to reach US$600/kW by end-2027—a 195 percent increase since 2019. Turbines make up 20 – 30 percent of project costs.
Not only have prices tripled, but those who wish to build a natural gas power plant currently face a six-year lead time before their purchase will be delivered.
According to recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the levelized cost of building a utility-scale solar array plus battery storage is currently between $40-$70 per MWh. These systems generally require about 18 months to construct. This compares to the cost of a natural gas combined-cycle power plant which currently ranges between $50-$90 per MWh - not accounting for the anticipated price increases.
Iranian hackers likely targeting the US grid
Hackers "affiliated" with Iran have been targeting programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, used throughout the power grid. This according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency or CISA. They issued an advisory last week that went out to the energy sector, along with water and wastewater and government services and facilities sectors, as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran entered its sixth week.
CISA said the hackers were "conducting exploitation activity" targeting operational technology, including PLCs, leading to "disruptions" of the controllers "across several critical infrastructure sectors."
There are somewhere between 600,000 and 2 million PLCs deployed across U.S. critical infrastructure. About 50 percent to 80 percent of U.S. grid control endpoints rely on PLCs
These controllers are often used for substation automation, managing distributed energy resources, and balancing plant controls for generation. As a result, PLCs are essential for maintaining a resilient grid, A spokesperson for CISA noted that "If PLCs were compromised, power generation as well as the entire distribution network could shut down."
Potential hack of micro inverters identified
And speaking of hacking... Cybersecurity firm Jakkaru has disclosed a critical security vulnerability in microinverters manufactured by Chinese manufacturer AP Systems.
According to Jakkaru, the flaw allows access to the micro inverters over the Internet, allowing hackers the ability to selectively shut down systems. AP Systems has reportedly patched the vulnerability after being alerted by Jakkaru.
The Firm identified approximately 100,000 vulnerable devices that were accessible online. The researchers believe that a potentially larger device base, including AP Systems' home energy storage systems, may also have been affected. Around 600,000 AP Systems installations are currently in use worldwide.
First vertical rooftop PV system installed in US
Norwegian vertical solar specialist Over Easy Solar has recently installed the first vertical rooftop solar system in the U.S. market. The 100 kW system was placed on top of a green roof on a commercial building in New York City. It is expected to deliver around 120,000 kWh annually.
The vertical array uses Over Easy Solar's xM3 VPV Unit, a prefabricated vertical bifacial system designed for flat rooftops. Uniquely, the racking system requires no ballasts, or weights to hold it in place and requires no roof penetrations.
Dick Bernauer, VP Sales of Sempergreen USA noted that "Due the unique wind uplift resistance, this superlight system (only 2.4 lbs/sqft) can be combined with a green roof without any additional ballast. "If you have a generic flat roof that has low loadbearing capacity, this is a great solution."
The installer noted that the vertical system allows both rainfall and sunlight to reach the full vegetated surface, maintaining stormwater retention and plant health. The panels are oriented to the east and west, and their bi-facial nature ensures power generation throughout the day.