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Amazon’s New AI Data Center Is So Enormous That It Appears It Will Become the Largest Single Source of Pollution in the United States
yahoo.com • • business
Key Points:
- Amazon Web Services is planning a massive AI data center in Pecos County, Texas, powered by a new gas-burning plant capable of generating 7.65 gigawatts of energy.
- The proposed plant's 35 turbines could emit up to 33 million tons of CO2 annually, potentially making it the largest single source of carbon emissions in the United States.
- This level of emissions would rival the total output of entire countries like Switzerland, Ireland, and Bulgaria, contradicting Amazon's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
- Amazon acknowledges the challenge but emphasizes its commitment to transparency, innovation, and balancing growth with sustainability despite rising emissions.
- The company's overall emissions and electricity consumption have surged recently, highlighting a growing gap between its climate pledges and actual environmental impact.
