Amazon’s Texas data center could emit 5.8 million tons of CO₂ yearly

Amazon’s plan to build a massive data center in northern Texas includes an on-site power plant that could become the single largest source of climate pollution in the United States. The facility, part of Amazon’s $10 billion Project Kuiper satellite internet push, would use more than 1,200 megawatts of natural gas generation to keep servers running 24/7. That capacity could emit as much carbon dioxide in a year as three coal plants, according to filings reviewed by TechCrunch. The plant would dwarf emissions from individual factories or even small cities, making it a top emitter nationwide.

Texas already leads the country in industrial emissions, thanks to its sprawling oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors. But data centers are a fast-growing slice of the state’s carbon footprint. Amazon chose Texas partly because of cheap land, plentiful energy, and a deregulated grid that lets big users buy power at bulk rates. The company has committed to net-zero emissions by 2040, yet it is locking in decades of gas-fired generation at a time when climate scientists warn the world must slash fossil fuel use immediately. Local activists say the project shows how tech giants can outsource their climate goals to deregulated energy markets.

The proposed plant would sit in a rural area near Abilene, where Amazon already operates two large data centers. County officials approved zoning changes in June without a full environmental review, citing job creation and tax revenue. But filings show the plant could burn up to 4.6 million cubic feet of gas per day—more than some mid-sized power plants—and release roughly 5.8 million tons of CO₂ annually once fully built. That exceeds the yearly emissions of entire U.S. states like Rhode Island or Montana. Environmental groups have filed notices to sue, arguing the project violates federal air quality laws. Amazon has not publicly detailed how it plans to offset these emissions or whether it will push the local utility to provide renewable energy instead.

If built, the plant could set a precedent for other tech giants following Amazon’s model: build your own fossil-fueled power when the grid can’t supply clean energy fast enough. Regulators in Texas are unlikely to block a facility that creates jobs and tax revenue, even if it worsens climate change. For Amazon, the gamble is that future carbon regulations will remain loose—or that public pressure will force it to buy offsets later. But for the planet, the project is another sign that without stricter rules, the digital economy’s hunger for cheap power could keep the world hooked on gas.