A new study from Rice University published in Energy & Fuels estimates that US data center power capacity could quadruple from 40 GW in 2025 to 169 GW by 2030. Without intervention, carbon emissions from fossil fuel power plants serving these data centers could rise from 90 million to over 404 million metric tons per year. The research finds that carbon capture and storage (CCS) paired with natural gas combined cycle plants could capture up to 74% of projected emissions by 2030 using underground saline aquifers. 34 states have enough saline aquifer storage capacity to store more than 100 years of projected data center CO2 emissions beyond 2030. When including out-of-state storage options, over 90% of data center emissions could potentially be mitigated through CCS. The study focuses on states with rapid data center growth like Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, providing a state-by-state framework for balancing digital infrastructure expansion with decarbonization goals.
