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On October 22, 2026, the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) released a report on the air pollution impacts of data centers in Texas. The report states that if all planned data centers in Texas are connected to the grid for power supply under the expected grid structure, fine particulate matter pollution from the power sector will more than triple within five years, reaching its highest level since 2006; NOx emissions that form smog will increase by 136%, approaching 2004 levels; and carbon dioxide emissions will be 90% higher than in 2025. The report is based on modeling of three data center energy consumption forecasts, and notes that if data centers are paired with self-built renewable energy, NOx emissions could be up to 10 times lower, but if gas-fired generation is built on-site to avoid grid interconnection queues, pollution could instead be the highest. The report also notes that Texas currently ranks first in the U.S. data center market with 26 GW of under-construction and existing capacity.
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Report says Texas data center expansion could erase decades of air quality improvementsDevelopments
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HARC report says data centers could cause Texas air pollution to rise again
Source:The Verge AI
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Oct 22
The Verge AI
Report says Texas data center expansion could erase decades of air quality improvements
A report by the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) says that if all planned data centers in Texas are connected to the grid and powered under the expected grid structure, fine particulate pollution from the power sector will more than triple within five years, reaching the highest level since 2006; haze-forming NOx emissions will increase by 136%, approaching 2004 levels; and carbon dioxide emissions will be 90% higher than in 2025. The report models three data center energy consumption forecasts and notes that if data centers are paired with self-built renewable energy, NOx emissions could be as much as 10 times lower, but if gas-fired generation is built on-site to avoid grid interconnection queues, pollution could instead be the highest. Texas currently ranks first in the U.S. data center market with 26 GW of under-construction and existing capacity.