Experts warn building new data centers across the US could wipe out the last 15 years of greenhouse gas progress

Date:
Wed, 04 Nov 2026 22:10:00 +0000

Description:
US data centre expansion could increase emissions as gas turbines meet rising demand and renewable generation struggles to keep pace.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Off-grid gas emissions in the U.S. could reach 460 million tons by 2030 US power-sector emissions could
rise 42% above 2025 levels by end of the decade Gas turbines now supply electricity to roughly 40% of American data centres The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States is creating new concerns about the country's ability to reduce CO 2 emissions.

A new Sierra Club assessment warns that electricity generation associated
with planned data center developments could reverse years of environmental gains. By 2030, CO 2 emissions linked to the expansion could exceed 460 million metric tons, matching Mexico's annual carbon dioxide emissions.
Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Data center expansion threatens emissions reduction efforts The environmental organisation
estimates that electricity demand from proposed facilities could
substantially increase pollution from the American power sector before the decade ends.

Projections indicate that CO 2 emissions could reach 2.1 billion metric tons, representing a 42% increase over 2025 levels. You may like US data center natural gas consumption could surpass Germany and Japan combined by 2035 Amazon's new Texas AI data center could become the biggest CO2 polluter in
the US America is building data centers but the grid to power them can't keep up and it could cause significant energy constraints

The numbers continue to sort of boggle our minds, said Jeremy Fusher, Sierra Club's principal advisor for climate and energy, expressing surprise at the scale of the latest estimates.

The organisation's earlier calculations placed the projected increase between 25% and 50% of its current estimate. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me
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The revised assessment therefore indicates that electricity requirements associated with planned computing infrastructure could create a huge environmental cost.

Natural gas remains an important part of the electricity supply supporting American data centres.

Approximately 40% of these facilities receive electricity from gas turbines, while renewable energy additions are struggling to match rapidly increasing consumption. What to read next Chinas data centres will reportedly use more power than South Korea by 2030 Anthropic says it will be burning lots of natural gas to feed the AI boom Data center boom across Europe could well
lead to higher electricity prices, report warns Natural gas shortages complicate the transition to cleaner electricity Competition for electricity generation equipment is creating additional difficulties for developers seeking to bring facilities online quickly.

Turbine prices have increased by 50%, while manufacturers face substantial production backlogs extending several years.

One manufacturer has reportedly opened production reservations for equipment scheduled for delivery in 2032.

These constraints could encourage developers to retain fossil fuel generation rather than wait for renewable alternatives or additional electricity infrastructure.

Equipment shortages, delayed grid connections and other infrastructure constraints could prevent numerous developments from becoming operational.

Across the United States, applications for construction permits reportedly exceed the electricity transmission capacity available in several locations.

Some projects also face opposition from communities concerned about electricity consumption, environmental consequences and the costs associated with infrastructure expansion.

Financial uncertainty within the artificial intelligence industry introduces another complication for developers planning large computing facilities.

Hyperscalers facing questions about the commercial returns from their investments could postpone or abandon projects before construction reaches completion.

Government regulations requiring renewable electricity for new facilities may provide some protection against additional emissions.

However, existing requirements frequently include implementation periods and generally do not apply retrospectively to operating installations.

Ireland, for example, requires new data centres to obtain 80% of their electricity from renewable sources within six years of beginning operations.

Such delays mean fossil fuel generation could remain part of the electricity supply during substantial periods of infrastructure expansion.

Due to these uncertainties, the eventual impact of data centre expansion on greenhouse gas emissions remains difficult to predict.

Via Tom's Hardware Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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