Amazons new Texas AI data center will include massive amounts of air pollution
Amazon is building a natural gas power plant for a big Texas data center that could be the most pollutant one in the country.
In 2019, Amazon committed to the Climate Pledge, dedicating itself to improving Earth's environmental health. The company plans to build a new natural-gas-burning power plant in Pecos County, Texas, for an AI data center project. Upon completion, this plant is estimated to release around 33 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, ranking among the highest emitters in the United States.
Concern about the environmental impact of such a large data center is not new; these facilities are notorious for their significant carbon emissions, high noise pollution, and potential to raise utility bills for nearby residents. Amazon's new plant, however, will not exacerbate these issues through its own power usage, as it will rely on natural gas. Nevertheless, the substantial carbon emissions it produces will still have detrimental effects on the environment.
Despite recent opposition from the Texas government regarding data centers, construction of the plant seems to be moving forward. Amazon's spokesperson acknowledged that the company's commitment to the Climate Pledge has evolved since its inception, emphasizing that "things change over time." The spokesperson added that the world now appears quite different from when the pledge was first established.
Written by urgent.news from Mashable's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.