HARC says data centers could erase decades of Texas air-quality gains

A Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) report estimates that if all planned data center projects in Texas connect to the grid and use its projected power mix, fine-particle pollution from the power sector will more than triple in five years, reaching its highest level since 2006. Smog-forming NOx emissions would rise 136%, while carbon dioxide emissions would be 90% above 2025 levels, the report says.

HARC modeled three energy-demand scenarios and says onsite renewable power could cut NOx emissions by up to 10 times. Gas engines built to avoid grid-connection delays, however, could produce the highest pollution levels. The Verge reports that Texas has 26 gigawatts of existing and under-construction data center capacity; a Wood Mackenzie report published in March says the state also has four times more proposed onsite-powered capacity than any other state.