New Data Centers in Texas Could Reverse Decades of Air Quality Gains, Says HARC

A new report from the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) warns that if all planned data centers in Texas plug into the anticipated grid mix, fine particle pollution could more than triple, reaching its highest level since 2006 within five years. Specifically, smog-forming NOx emissions would increase 136 percent, approaching 2004 levels, and planet-heating carbon dioxide pollution would climb 90 percent above 2025 levels. Texas already has 26 gigawatts of existing and under-construction data center capacity, and developers are considering on-site power, including less efficient gas turbines, which could lead to the highest pollution levels possible; however, pairing grid power with onsite solar and wind could lower NOx emissions by up to 10 times.