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Big Tech Embraces Carbon Capture for Data Centers
30 Mar
Summary
- Google partners for carbon capture plants.
- CCS costs might double power production expenses.
- Europe faces transport challenges for carbon capture.
Google has initiated a significant collaboration with Low Carbon Infrastructure (LCI) to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities in the United States, aiming for commercial-scale deployment. This partnership includes a deal for electricity from a 400 MW natural gas plant with CCS in Illinois, signaling a broader effort to make CCS technology more accessible and affordable worldwide.
Other major tech players like NextEra are also exploring CCS for powering data centers, announcing a partnership with ExxonMobil for similar projects. However, the substantial costs associated with CCS, estimated at $20 to $30 per megawatt hour, could potentially double power production expenses, leading many companies to prioritize other energy solutions for now.
In Europe, the EU is supporting CCS growth through the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and its Innovation Fund, offering grants for projects. However, the deployment is constrained by a significant lack of access to CCS transport and storage facilities.
Despite these challenges, projects like Heidelberg Materials' facility in Norway, supported by the Northern Lights cross-border CO2 transport and storage initiative, are demonstrating progress. The EU aims to establish more CCS hubs by developing necessary infrastructure, with goals to transition the sector away from its subsidy model towards greater self-sufficiency.
