Data centers could erase decades of air quality gains

A new report from the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) warns that the rapid growth of data centers in Texas, driven by generative AI, could significantly worsen air quality. If all planned data center projects connect to the grid and rely on the expected energy mix, soot pollution could more than triple to its highest level since 2006, smog-forming NOx emissions could rise 136 percent, and carbon dioxide emissions could increase 90 percent above 2025 levels. However, the outcome is not inevitable: using onsite renewable energy could reduce NOx emissions by up to 10 times, while building onsite gas engines could lead to the worst pollution. Texas leads the nation in data center capacity with 26 gigawatts and has four times more proposed onsite power capacity than any other state, often using less efficient gas turbines. HARC CEO John Hall warns that this could reverse decades of air quality improvements, putting children and grandchildren at risk of breathing dirtier air.

(Source：The Verge)