# 2026 trends: Gas turbines, Texas’ load queue and China electrifies

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2026-01-15
- Length: 46m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies

## Summary

Nat Bullard, co-founder of Halcyon, joins host Shayle Kann to analyze data from his 2026 annual energy presentation, highlighting China’s rapid electrification and its strategic drive for energy sovereignty. Bullard details a severe supply shortage in gas turbines, where order books exceed production capacity by 30-40 gigawatts, driving capital costs for combined cycle plants to nearly double. The conversation also examines Texas’s exploding load interconnection queue, which has surged to 226 gigawatts, and the divergent, highly speculative load forecasts between ERCOT and transmission service providers regarding future electricity demand.

## Chapters

- [3:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=201) Introduction: Nat Bullard and Halcyon's 2026 Energy Deck
- [6:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=377) China’s Rapid Electrification and Energy Sovereignty
- [11:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=686) GDP Share of Electricity vs. Oil Volatility
- [17:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=1062) Gas Turbine Supply Shortage and Capital Cost Inflation
- [29:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=1774) Tech Capex Compared to Historic Infrastructure Booms
- [34:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=2056) Texas Load Interconnection Queue Explosion
- [39:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=2358) Divergent Load Forecasts: ERCOT vs. Transmission Providers
- [44:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies#t=2678) Global Drivers of Electricity Demand Beyond Data Centers

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Halcyon (company)
- ERCOT (other)
- Ember (company)
- Energy Hub (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Like a steam engine in your house](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-04-15-like-a-steam-engine-in-your-house) (The Amp Hour)
- [Lessons from China: Competing on Innovation, Energy and Agility w/ Drew Allen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-06-10-lessons-from-china-competing-on-innovation-energy-and-agility-w-drew-allen) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-15-2026-trends-gas-turbines-texas-load-queue-and-china-electrifies. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.