What Lubricant Opportunities Are There in Power Gen for Data Centers and AI Infrastructure?

Data center power demand is going to grow at over double the pace of power generation between now and 2035. In 2026 alone, 30–50% of new data center projects were delayed with power cited as the primary obstacle.

Developers are shifting from a grid-first model to a power-first model, looking to secure on-site and backup generation before breaking ground. This is creating an opportunity for the lubricants industry, one who’s growth outstrips anything else in the industry that we are seeing at Kline and Company right now.

Lubricant demand from on-site and backup power equipment in data centers is set to grow 4X by 2035, whilst utility power generation demand grows just 1.2X. As always, there are three questions, where to play, how to play, and how to win.

We covered them all in this session, focusing on questions such as:

• The demand picture: how is the widening data center power gap reshaping lubricant volumes and value?
• Risk and volatility: how secure are the demand profile projections for this market?
• Where the volume sits: what is the portfolio distribution that lubricant marketers can expect?
• Regional playbooks: how are the different models across the US, China and beyond operating?
• How to win: what are data center operators looking for, and how can suppliers position themselves for success