Energy transition speed advantage: fast-build power beats cheap LCOE as demand surges

The article argues that traditional levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) comparisons undervalue speed-to-market for new power generation. With IEA projecting data-center demand to double to ~945 TWh by 2030, fast-deployable technologies (e.g., gas peakers, solar, storage) gain strategic premium over cheaper but slower nuclear or CCS projects. This shifts investment calculus toward modular, quick-construction assets, potentially accelerating fossil-fuel lock-in or renewables depending on policy.