Texas Data Centers Could Triple Soot in 5 Years as AI Power Demand Surges
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Oct 21
Texas Data Centers Could Triple Soot in 5 Years as AI Power Demand Surges
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Oct 21
Summary
Fine-particle pollution from Texas power generation would more than triple within five years if planned data centers connect to the grid under the expected power mix, according to a Houston Advanced Research Center report.
NOx emissions would rise 136% to near-2004 levels and carbon dioxide 90% above 2025, potentially wiping out decades of air-quality gains as new AI-linked facilities demand huge amounts of electricity.
Texas already leads the US data-center market with 26 gigawatts of existing and under-construction capacity, and it is bracing for four times more proposed onsite-powered capacity than any other state.
Pollution outcomes hinge on how developers supply power: pairing grid electricity with onsite solar and wind could cut NOx by up to 10 times, while onsite gas engines and less-efficient turbines would push emissions highest.