AI Sector's Data Center Gas Projects Could Surpass Morocco's Annual Emissions, Permits Show

Eleven data center campuses planned across the United States are linked to natural gas projects with the potential to emit over 129 million tons of greenhouse gases annually—more than Morocco's total emissions in 2024. Air permit documents examined by Wired reveal the scale of power infrastructure being built to fuel the AI expansion, raising questions about the climate cost of the industry's growth trajectory.

The facilities are being developed to serve major AI players including OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and xAI, according to the permit analysis. These projects follow a pattern known as behind-the-meter power: dedicated infrastructure designed to bypass the traditional electrical grid and supply data centers directly. The arrangement allows operators to sidestep lengthy queues for grid connections while securing power solely for computational workloads.

The data center development surge comes as tech companies race to lock in power agreements across multiple regions. The projects identified represent a fraction of planned AI infrastructure nationwide, the report indicates. Officials and analysts have warned that the pace of power demand from these facilities is outstripping existing grid capacity, creating structural pressure on both energy planning and environmental targets. The gap between AI infrastructure buildout and transmission infrastructure expansion remains a growing concern for regulators and energy planners tracking the sector's footprint.