Carbon-capture hub gets lifeline from Trump administration

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🗞️ Driving the news: The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is sharply increasing energy demand from data centers, creating tension between the AI growth strategies of Big Tech and their net-zero climate pledges

🔭 The context: Tech giants including Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Platforms are racing to build massive data-center infrastructure to support AI computing.
• These facilities require huge amounts of electricity, sometimes relying on fossil-fuel power plants to ensure reliable supply
• The strain has become more visible as companies spend billions on carbon credits, renewable energy certificates and carbon removal technologies to offset rising emissions 
• Microsoft, the world's largest buyer of carbon removal credits, reportedly paused new purchases, affirming the rising tension between AI growth and sustainability commitments

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: AI infrastructure could significantly increase global electricity consumption and emissions if powered by fossil fuels
• While carbon credits and removal projects may offset some emissions, critics argue they risk delaying direct reductions in energy use and decarbonization, raising questions about the credibility of corporate climate commitments

📈 One stat: Since 2020, emissions from Microsoft have increased by about 50%, while emissions from Alphabet and Meta Platforms have risen 71% and 83% respectively, largely driven by expanding data-center operations

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance — carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies

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