Texas data center boom could erase decades of progress on air quality
A new report from the Houston Advanced Research Center warns that Texas’ rapidly expanding data center industry could reverse decades of air-quality progress by the end of the decade. The report says pollution impacts will be significantly worse if data centers rely on natural-gas power plants.
A Houston Advanced Research Center report warns that Texas’ data center boom could undermine the state’s air-quality improvements by the end of the decade. Researchers said the industry’s environmental impact will depend heavily on how facilities are powered, with natural-gas generation producing substantially higher emissions.
Carlos Gamarra, HARC’s vice president for energy, air and IT, said the projected increases in pollutants could have serious implications for public health and the environment if they are not addressed.