ChipsAugust 16, 2026via Financial Times Technology
Big Tech’s data centre boom poised to drive up carbon emissions
Why it matters
The physical infrastructure race behind AI — data centers, power, cooling — is driving unprecedented carbon emissions. Practitioners budgeting AI infrastructure and enterprises planning deployments need to factor in both environmental impact and regulatory risk as governments begin scrutinizing the buildout.
Key signals
- 60 largest planned data-center facilities analyzed
- Annual emissions equivalent to 27 coal plants
- Annual emissions equivalent to 24 million cars
- FT analysis of Big Tech expansion plans
- Published August 2026
The hook
60 mega data centers. 27 coal plants' worth of carbon. The AI buildout's climate bill is about to get real.
FT analysis finds 60 largest planned facilities could emit equivalent of 27 coal plants or 24mn cars per year