Meta is building its largest data center yet in Louisiana, with plans to power it with gas-fired power plants. The move has sparked concerns from advocates and lawmakers about the environmental impact of the project. The company’s carbon footprint has grown larger since setting a goal to reach net-zero emissions by the end of the decade.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, demanding answers about how much energy the data center would use and the greenhouse gas emissions that would be generated. Whitehouse says Meta’s plan “flies in the face” of its climate commitments.
Meta has promised to match its electricity use with renewable energy purchases, but advocates argue that this strategy still burdens communities with local pollution. The company plans to spend $10 billion on the project, which will span 4 million square feet and power thousands of servers.
The proposal includes building three new gas plants with a total capacity of 2,260 megawatts, but it must get regulatory approval first. Advocates have filed a motion asking for transparency around Meta’s data center plans to help the public understand the potential impact on the local power grid.
Meta maintains that it will continue to support renewable energy projects and invest in carbon capture technology. However, some argue that this strategy is too expensive and often offsets by using captured CO2 to produce more fossil fuels.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/668934/meta-ai-data-center-gas-energy-climate-sustainability