Data center growth threatens air quality and progress toward cleaner energy grid

New research released on Earth Day by Frontier Group, Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund finds that despite the rapid growth of renewable energy usage in recent years, the even-more-explosive growth of data centers is delaying the transition to a cleaner grid in ways that could harm the air we breathe. 

One of the research papers, Energy Transition at Risk, tracks a dramatic slowdown in the previously accelerating pace of coal plant retirements. Compared to 2022, when the country was retiring power plants at a pace that would lead to a coal-free grid by 2040, the current pace of plant retirements would keep some of our dirtiest ones online until 2065. 

The other research paper, Fossil fuel plants are staying online longer. That means dirtier air, finds that in 2023 the 33 fossil fuel generating units whose planned retirements were postponed emitted 25,432 tons of SO_2, 27,564 tons of NO_x and 256 pounds of mercury.

A third paper entitled False emergencies, real pollution explores how pressure to use data centers’ diesel backup generators for purposes other than true emergencies is mounting in the face of  increasing strain on the grid, data centers’ thirst for power, the desire for near perfect reliability, and the existence of thousands of permitted backup generators already in place.

“It’s great that renewable energy is growing rapidly, but we also need to be transitioning away from dirty energy sources. We can’t afford to lose ground on that front,” said Johanna Neumann, senior director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy at Environment America Research & Policy Center. “Pollution from fossil fuels harms our kids’ lungs and dangerously heats up our planet. We need to get our priorities straight. A healthy, safe environment is essential for a good quality of life.”