Amazon's new data center projected to be top source of US emissions

Amazon's gas-fired power plant in Texas, built to power a data center, could become the largest single source of power-related emissions in the US, the New York Times reported. That aligns with Semafor's reporting that Amazon's sustainability chief foresees a multi-year uptick in the company's carbon footprint. Separately, research by former Microsoft engineers found that when fossil fuel companies use AI to streamline drilling, the resulting emissions spike could offset environmental gains from AI use in clean energy. The political response is fragmented: Texas's Republican governor has imposed a moratorium on new data center permits, while Virginia's Democratic governor said she would personally intervene in a power company merger to prevent household bills from rising. In Congress, Democrats are divided about whether to seek a moratorium on data center construction or simply cut the tax credits supporting it.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton