Google backs gas plant with carbon capture for data centre
Engineers plan to inject captured carbon into the Mount Simon aquifer beneath several Midwestern states.
Google plans to support a new Illinois data centre using a natural gas plant fitted with carbon capture. Engineers expect the system to remove around 90 percent of emissions before storage underground.
Captured carbon will be piped into the Mount Simon sandstone aquifer, a vast saline formation covering parts of Illinois and neighbouring states. Thick shale layers provide the caprock needed to keep injected carbon stable for centuries.
Rising AI demand is driving rapid growth in US electricity use, prompting companies to seek lower-emission baseload options. Carbon capture may become essential for meeting climate goals as data centre expansion accelerates.
Environmental groups remain wary, citing past leaks and the risks associated with transporting oil through pipelines. Regulators have tightened monitoring requirements after earlier incidents, while Google plans to rely on an existing, previously approved injection site.
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