According to a recent analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), new natural gas-fired power plants proposed to serve just 11 data center campuses across the United States could collectively emit more greenhouse gases annually than the entire country of Morocco emitted in 2024. The report, released in April 2026, highlights the growing energy demands of the tech industry.
The EIP examined air permit applications for these facilities, which are primarily located in states like Virginia, Ohio, and Texas. The analysis estimates that if all proposed gas plants are built and operated at full capacity, their annual carbon dioxide emissions would exceed Morocco's total greenhouse gas output for 2024, which was approximately 65 million metric tons according to recent data.
Data centers, which power cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and streaming services, have seen a surge in electricity consumption. The EIP warns that reliance on fossil fuels to meet this demand could undermine U.S. climate goals. However, some industry groups argue that natural gas is a necessary bridge fuel as renewable energy sources are expanded.
The findings come amid a broader debate about the environmental impact of the tech sector. While companies like Google and Microsoft have pledged to use 100% renewable energy, the rapid growth of AI and other data-intensive applications has led to increased reliance on natural gas in some regions where renewable capacity is insufficient.
