Data Center Boom to Drive Decarbonization Investments

In a report released in September 2024, the rapid expansion of data centers, driven by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon, is projected to generate 2.5 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions by 2030.

Key Points

Hyperscalers' Role: Companies like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon are rapidly expanding data centers to support AI and cloud computing, while maintaining their commitments to reduce global warming emissions by 2030.
Significant Emissions: The emissions from global data centers could reach about 40% of the annual emissions of the entire U.S., highlighting the environmental impact of the data center industry.
Decarbonization Investments: The rise in data centers is expected to spur investments in clean energy, energy-efficient equipment, and green building materials.
Emerging Technologies: Carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) technology, along with carbon dioxide removal (CDR) processes, are anticipated to grow as companies work to meet their climate goals.