Amazon finances massive Texas gas plant for data centres, top US emitter

Amazon has announced its investment in a large private gas power facility in Texas, which has the potential to become the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Named GW Ranch, this plant is being constructed by Pacifico Energy and will be situated in Texas. It is permitted to release over 30 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases each year, surpassing any other source in the nation. Featuring 35 turbines, it will produce 7.65 gigawatts of energy, making it the largest gas plant currently in operation in the U.S. This development aligns with a trend of technology companies seeking independent energy sources for their AI operations. Cleanview, a market intelligence firm, first reported this using satellite data that linked Amazon's construction permits for three data centers to the gas facility. Additionally, a larger plant with a capacity of 9.2 gigawatts is being planned in Ohio through a public-private partnership that includes SoftBank, a multinational investment firm based in Tokyo. This facility will connect to the grid and supply power to a data center.