Decarbonising the future – LNG, data centres and reliable power generation
Dec 09, 2025
As the world accelerates toward a lower-carbon future, the energy sector faces a dual imperative: meeting surging demand while dramatically reducing emissions. Nowhere is this challenge more clearly displayed than in the rapid expansion of data centres, an infrastructure that is driving unprecedented demand for scalable, reliable, and lower-carbon power. Meeting this demand sustainably, in addition to other energy-intensive industries, is essential not only for climate goals, but for enabling industrial resilience and economic prosperity. It’s why, as an energy sector, we must continue to develop, utilise, and scale innovative technologies that will become the cornerstones to sustainable energy development.
Natural gas’ unquestionable role
Natural gas, and LNG in particular, is increasingly recognised as both a transition and destination fuel in the global energy mix, due to its abundance, affordability, reliability, and lower emissions profile. When produced and delivered with advanced lower-carbon technologies, LNG can power industrial growth and enable the digital economy – all while reducing environmental impact.
Yet, the path forward demands more than just increased supply. Real opportunities exist today to deploy gas quickly, improve efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower costs across the LNG value chain. This requires not only installing emissions reduction technologies into existing plants, but also designing future facilities with decarbonisation as a guiding principle.
Digitalisation is equally critical to the decarbonisation journey. For instance, Baker Hughes’ iCenter digital services, powered by Cordant, provide real-time insights that improve asset performance, increase availability and efficiency, while optimising carbon emissions. Embedding these digital capabilities across LNG operations, from production to liquefaction and transportation, enables system-level efficiencies that accelerate sustainability and resilience.
Driving sustainable energy development
The rapid, efficient production and reliable delivery of natural gas is crucial for meeting the growing demands of AI-driven industries. Indeed, natural gas is projected to be the primary fuel source for data centres over the coming years.
A key aspect of this transformation is the advancement of flexible and resilient industrial power generation solutions driven by gas turbine technology. Baker Hughes’ next-generation gas turbines, including the NovaLT series, deliver high efficiency and multi-fuel flexibility – starting up and operating on natural gas, hydrogen blends, and even 100% hydrogen. This affords our customers the flexibility to operate according to the energy sources they have ready to access and depending on the industrial outcome they want to drive.
NovaLT turbines have already been selected to meet increasing power demands in the US – particularly driven by the rapid expansion of data centres and industrial operations – delivering more than 250MW of gas-fired power generation.
A collective effort
By leveraging LNG’s advantages, deploying lower-carbon solutions, and harnessing digital innovation, the energy sector can deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable power to fuel industrial growth – especially driven by AI demand.
Energy security and decarbonisation are not mutually exclusive. The future will be defined not by a single solution, but by integrated, system-level thinking – where technology, policy, and collaboration converge to build a resilient, lower-carbon energy landscape.
Energy Connects includes information by a variety of sources, such as contributing experts, external journalists and comments from attendees of our events, which may contain personal opinion of others. All opinions expressed are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Energy Connects, dmg events, its parent company DMGT or any affiliates of the same.
