FT analysis of 60 largest planned US data centres by Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta shows they could emit 101.5mn tonnes of CO2 annually — 7 per cent of 2025 US power-sector emissions, equal to 27 coal plants or 24mn petrol cars.

Three-quarters of utilities serving these projects plan new gas-fired capacity; a third delay coal retirements. US gas capacity in development nearly tripled in 2025. Despite clean-energy pledges, Amazon emissions rose 16%, Microsoft 25%, Alphabet 18% in 2024-2025, driven by data-centre expansion.

Experts warn voluntary corporate reductions are fragile. Clean-energy additions face bottlenecks, risking higher emissions as utilities run fossil plants harder. Data centres represent 55% of utility load forecasts. Georgia Power and Entergy Louisiana are building thousands of megawatts of gas capacity for hyperscale campuses.