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A new Amazon data center is set to become the single largest source of environmental pollution in the U.S., according to a New York Times report on August 8. The tech giant — which already operates the most data centers worldwide — is reportedly building a natural gas power plant in Pecos County, Texas, to power its new data center at the same site. According to project permits, the plant would generate up to 7.65 gigawatts of power using 35 natural gas turbines. The new plant — which burns natural gas to generate electricity — has been authorized to release 33 million tons of CO₂ annually, more planet-warming gases than any other power plant in the country, says the NY Times report.
Conversely, Amazon had pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across all its global business operations by 2040. The company made the promise in 2019 when it initiated and co-founded The Climate Pledge — a voluntary coalition of over 700 companies and partners — aimed at addressing its own corporate footprint and rallying global supply chains. However, the company has seen its emissions rise each year for the past several years, something analysts attribute to a spike in data centers to support the AI boom. The company is currently building several additional AI data centers globally, including the one that the new gas plant would power in Texas.
Amazon has acknowledged the impact of its intense AI ambitions on its earlier climate pledges but insisted the company remained committed to them, despite obvious struggles. “The world looks different now than when we co-founded the climate pledge,” said Margaret Callahan, an Amazon spokeswoman. Still, “our commitment hasn’t changed,” she said, echoing similar statements by Microsoft, which is struggling to fulfill its 2030 sustainability promise amid carbon-heavy AI expansion, but insists it remains committed to it.
As detailed in our data center power roadmap, an increasing number of hyperscalers and data center operators are switching from grid connections to dedicated on-site power generation. The “behind-the-meter” moves are being triggered mainly by the long timelines required to set up new power infrastructure to connect new power-hungry data centers to the grid, but also by growing anti-data center sentiments over irreversible hikes in the electricity bills of nearby communities.
While many companies are also pursuing nuclear and renewable energy options — examples being Microsoft’s Three Mile Island nuclear deal and Meta’s agreement to secure up to 1GW of orbital solar energy capacity — gas appears to be the leading preference due to its scalability and speed of availability. The Trump administration has thrown its weight behind such projects for data centers, promoting oil, natural gas, and coal over renewable energy sources.
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It’s worth the earth dying so I can get my useless crap in a hurry. /s
Slightly better than switching to paper straws is not buying from Amazon. I know it doesn’t make a real difference because they’ll never lose enough customers to notice, but at least YOU aren’t supporting them. Also, yes, I know that AWS is a bigger part of the business, and literally unavoidable on the internet. I did say “slightly”.
What ended all human life… was it a lack of food? Nope. Was it war? Shockingly, no. Twas global warming. Despite decades of warning, the humans marched forward to their own extinction. Year over year, found more efficient ways to accelerate their demise. Many even cheered it on! Their greatest invention was “AI”. A largely useless bit of tech that ruined ecosystems and pushed the planet to a point it couldn’t support humans.
Was it preventable? Could the humans have survived? Yes. But it wasn’t profitable to do that. They believed it better to go extinct rich than live not rich.
I disagree with your comment slightly, yes we are being irrational as a species. But I’m afraid statements like “they believed it was better to go extinct rich” will only feed misanthropy and apathy.
In truth the minority of those in power do not act to stop the environmental crisis because they simply don’t believe they will be affected by it. They have AC, work out of the sun, do not suffer any shortage, and can move out of any affected area. In their eyes only the masses will suffer, and for a while they will be right.
Humanity is headed towards hell, not because of greed or stupidity, but because its elite largely does not live in the world it rules.
They could have gone for solar, but no, ride or die fossil fuels on all of these projects.
It’s fine guys, I switched to paper straws.
Hell yeah. Hey everyone! This dude switched to paper straws! We can all get private jets now!
Same here, so we can do rocket bikes too!
How much CO2 is produced, when such center burns week one, I wonder…Would it be worth it, to save from worse faith?
This is more than the annual carbon output of all private jets in 2023 (19.8 m tons)
Fucking what
These fucking assholes.
“Its fine everyone. Don’t worry about the terrifying changes in climate, or the habitability of the planet… we’re making billions over here.”
Ironically, they aren’t.
As it turns out, OpenAI has technically become more committed to being nonprofit
You win the internet :D
Amazon’s AI is hands down the worst fucking one.
You can’t go to their website, or their app, without having it shoved down your throat. It’s always annoying and intrusive and it gets in the way of searching for goods.
And it’s doing this now? Fucking insane. This is ALL insane.
it gets in the way of searching for goods.
This is part of their strategy. They don’t want you to quickly find what you need and leave.
I don’t think it is so much about what ai is running on it.
The compute demand can be rented out to other companies like how Anthropic (Claude) pays for compute at SpaceX’s colossus in Memphis Tennessee.
“Authorized” is one of the most evil parts.
They can legalize or criminalize whatever they want. It’s the heart of “just doing my job” bureaucratic seperation.
That’s why everyone involved is guilty.
Makes me wonder what the punishment should be if any of that CO2 crosses the border.
Fuckin ridiculous, I don’t buy from them for more than enough reasons. Smoke these fools
It’s amazing to me how many people who are disgusted with these oligarch fucks ruining everything continue to use their services/platforms. Convenience trumps (ugh) everything.
I really wouldn’t give two shits about all that CO₂ if it wasn’t for the fact that air pollution knows no borders.
It’s not just the CO2.
You can see how SpaceX’s colossus is starting to effect the health of the residents of Memphis Tennessee.
This is is ridiculous. There is no way 7GW in a single facility is going to happen any time soon. First off, the gensets don’t exist. There’s a 3-year waiting list right now for gas turbines.
The largest gas power plant is 8.5GW in the UAE and it took 40 years to build.
There’s no way this is going to happen. It’s going to get delayed indefinitely
What’s that power plant? Natural gas?
Which? The article says Amazon is permitted to build a natural gas plant
The UAE one
Turbines aren’t boiler machines (with steam). Therefore they’re less efficient as they can’t take advantage of waste heat. Already more CO2 per WH.
