Planned Amazon data center could become the biggest climate polluter in the U.S.
Amazon is planning a massive data center in Texas that will be powered by an on-site natural gas plant. Critics warn the facility could become the largest source of climate pollution in the U.S., complicating Amazon's goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2040.
Why it matters
The energy demands of AI and cloud computing are creating a conflict between tech expansion and corporate climate sustainability pledges.
As part of a planned data center in Pecos County, Texas, Amazon is investing in an on-site power plant that could become the largest source of climate pollution in the United States, according to The New York Times .
The NYT says the plant would burn natural gas and is permitted to release 33 million tons of carbon dioxide per year — more than any other power plant in the U.S.
In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed that the data center will “be powered by new on-site generation that won’t raise electricity costs for Texas families.” (Data centers face growing political opposition for a number of reasons, including their effect on electricity costs.)
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