Managing Technological Risk in the New Era of Advanced Gas Turbines

November 10, 2025


October 31, 2025 8 mins

Managing Technological Risk in the New Era of Advanced Gas Turbines


Aon has deep experience in natural resources industry – including alternative energy, chemicals, mining, oil and gas, power, renewables, and utilities.

The energy sector stands at a pivotal moment in history. As the global community races to decarbonise, reliable and efficient electricity generation remains a critical pillar supporting economic growth and societal needs. While renewable energy continues to gain prominence, gas-fired power generation — particularly combined cycle technology — remains a vital complement to variable renewables, offering dispatchable and stable capacity for energy transition.

In this environment, gas turbine manufacturers are fiercely competing to deliver the next leap in technology. The latest H- and J-class gas turbines have been engineered to achieve higher efficiency, larger power outputs, and lower emissions, offering customers the promise of lower total lifecycle costs. This aggressive technological innovation introduces new challenges — particularly for the insurance and financial communities responsible for underwriting project risk.

More Like This


  • Article



    An Insurer Roadmap for Navigating the Energy Transition



  • Article



    AI Innovations in Renewable Energy: Transforming the Sector


The Push Toward Higher Efficiency and Lower Cost

Historically, gas turbines evolved gradually, with incremental improvements in thermal efficiency, capacity, and reliability. Recent market dynamics, including increasing competition from renewable energy sources, pressure to reduce the carbon footprint, and the need to lower electricity tariffs have forced OEMs to push beyond traditional engineering limits.

Today’s large-frame turbines offer significantly higher output and thermal efficiency compared to their predecessors. In parallel, EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) pricing for combined cycle plants has shown a downward trend, especially in competitive markets such as Asia Pacific. Modern combined cycle plants, which deploy advanced gas turbines, are now being delivered at significantly lower capital costs. The EPC pricing per kilowatt is notably below the levels typical of a decade ago.
OEMs have achieved this through a combination of scaling up turbine size, streamlining designs, optimising manufacturing processes, and in some cases, accepting razor-thin or even negative profit margins on initial equipment sales in order to secure long-term service revenues.

While this strategy can deliver immediate cost advantages to project developers, it also carries implications. Reducing margins on turbine sales may pressure OEMs to find cost savings elsewhere in the manufacturing and quality assurance processes. In some cases, quality gate checks originally intended to safeguard long-term performance, may be simplified or bypassed, introducing new layers of risk into already complex supply chains.

As new turbine models often involve novel materials, cooling techniques, or blade designs, their long-term behaviour under real-world operating conditions may not be fully understood when first deployed.

The Challenge of Insuring New Technology

From an insurance perspective, particularly Construction All Risks (CAR), Machinery Breakdown (MB), and Third Party Liability (TPL), new or significantly modified gas turbine models are typically classified as ‘unproven’ until they accumulate sufficient operational history.

Until then, insurers and reinsurers view such machines as carrying heightened technological risk. This can manifest in several ways:




Ultimately, this can jeopardise the bankability of a project. Financiers expect projects to carry comprehensive insurance while project developers push for predictable, reasonable insurance costs. When insurance becomes expensive, restricted, or unavailable, it raises red flags that can delay or derail project financial close.

Beyond technological uncertainties, projects deploying advanced gas turbines in emerging markets may also face elevated credit and political risks. These exposures — ranging from counterparty default and currency inconvertibility to regulatory instability and expropriation — can significantly impact the reliability of revenue streams and the enforceability of long-term contracts. These risks must be carefully assessed and mitigated to preserve project bankability. The introduction of advanced but unproven gas turbines creates a tension between the desire to embrace technological innovation and the need to manage project risks responsibly.

Crafting Solutions to Transfer Technological Risk

At Aon, we recognise that innovation should not come at the cost of insurability or project bankability. To bridge this gap, Aon has pioneered structured solutions that transfer technological risk back to the party best positioned to manage it — the OEM.

Rather than asking insurers to shoulder the uncertainty of unproven technology, our approach ensures that manufacturers stand behind their machines in a manner that satisfies both insurers and project sponsors. This is achieved through a combination of contractual undertakings, insurance structuring, and disciplined risk assessment processes.

Key components of our solution include:
  • Operational Benchmarking: We work with technical experts and reinsurers to classify gas turbines based on their accumulated operating hours and performance records.
  • Special Undertakings: Tailor for unproven turbine as part of the project sponsors’ contract structure, to close the gaps between the insurance market solutions against the bankable and prudent project sponsors’ requirement.
  • OEM Risk Assumption: In certain cases, if adequate insurance cannot be secured at reasonable terms despite best efforts, the OEM may assume direct financial liability for losses attributable to their equipment. In parallel with technological risk transfer, Aon also supports clients in structuring credit and political risk insurance programs tailored to the unique challenges of each jurisdiction. These instruments protect against counterparty default, currency inconvertibility, expropriation, and other sovereign-related risks that can derail even technically sound projects and undermine project viability.

Through these mechanisms, projects can maintain insurance coverage aligned with lender expectations without absorbing disproportionate costs or unacceptable exclusions.


  • OEMs are incentivised to stand behind their latest technology and can accelerate market adoption by removing barriers to financing.
  • Insurers and reinsurers avoid being forced to underwrite unknown technological risks, preserving underwriting discipline and pricing stability.

Similarly, credit and political risk insurance can help align interests between sponsors, lenders, and host governments. By mitigating concerns around payment default, contract frustration, or adverse government actions, these solutions enable stakeholders to proceed with confidence even in jurisdictions with volatile regulatory or macroeconomic environments. This alignment is especially critical for accelerating energy infrastructure investment in frontier and developing markets.

By setting clear expectations around performance benchmarks and risk assumption, Aon’s solution promotes responsible innovation. OEMs are encouraged to ensure that their new models are thoroughly validated before widespread commercial deployment, contributing to better long-term outcomes for the industry as a whole.




Looking Forward

As the energy transition accelerates, the role of flexible, efficient, and low-emissions gas-fired power will remain crucial. The need for innovation is undeniable, but so is the need for robust risk management practices that safeguard the long-term viability of projects.
By thoughtfully transferring and managing technological risk, we can unlock the benefits of next-generation gas turbines without exposing stakeholders to unacceptable uncertainties.

At Aon, we are proud to support organisations to navigate this evolving landscape, embrace new technology with confidence, and build the energy systems of tomorrow.


The information provided in this publication is current as at the date of publication and subject to any qualifications expressed. Whilst Aon has taken care in the production of this publication and the information contained has been obtained from sources that Aon believes to be reliable, Aon does not make any representation as to the accuracy of information received from third parties and is unable to accept liability for any loss incurred by anyone who relies on it. The information contained herein is intended to provide general insurance related information only. It is not intended to be comprehensive, nor should it under any circumstances, be construed as constituting legal or professional advice. You should seek independent legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on the content of this information. Aon will not be responsible for any loss, damage, cost or expense you or anyone else incurs in reliance on or use of any information in this publication.


The contents herein may not be reproduced, reused, reprinted or redistributed without the expressed written consent of Aon, unless otherwise authorized by Aon. To use information contained herein, please write to our team.



  • Cyber Risk Is the Weak Link in Data Center Construction


    Article
    8 mins

    Cyber Risk is the Weak Link in Data Center Construction



    Data center construction is booming — but cyber risk management hasn’t kept pace. As digital infrastructure becomes ever more critical, fit-for-purpose insurance solutions are essential to protect projects from costly cyber events that derail timelines and budgets.



  • Captives are a core, strategic tool for managing cyber risk, helping organizations drive efficiency, manage volatility and build resilience in a rapidly evolving risk environment.


    Article
    7 mins

    Captives and Cyber: From Tactical Response to Strategic Risk Optimization



    Captives are moving from a reactive stopgap to a core, strategic tool for managing cyber risk — helping organizations drive efficiency, manage volatility and build resilience in a rapidly evolving risk environment.



  • Global Insurance Market Overview


    Article
    23 mins

    Q3 2025: Global Insurance Market Overview



    Buyer-friendly conditions persisted in Q3, with ample capacity and intense competition driving continued price reductions and broader coverage for preferred risks, especially in property, cyber, and directors and officers.

Subscribe CTA Banner


 

Search

RECENT PRESS RELEASES

Related Post

Sunrun sees 400% growth in virtual power plant participation
Sunrun sees 400% growth in virtual power plant participation
Gallery

Sunrun sees 400% growth in virtual power plant participation

November 10, 2025
Dominion Energy seeks its largest slate of solar and battery storage projects yet
Dominion Energy seeks its largest slate of solar and battery storage projects yet
Gallery

Dominion Energy seeks its largest slate of solar and battery storage projects yet

November 10, 2025
How AI’s Energy Demands Are Shaping the Future of Sustainable Investment
How AI’s Energy Demands Are Shaping the Future of Sustainable Investment
Gallery

How AI’s Energy Demands Are Shaping the Future of Sustainable Investment

November 10, 2025
Amazon Music’s Fan Groups are a refreshingly old-school way to share and find tunes
Amazon Music’s Fan Groups are a refreshingly old-school way to share and find tunes
Gallery

Amazon Music’s Fan Groups are a refreshingly old-school way to share and find tunes

November 10, 2025