Google supports U.S. gas plant with carbon capture to power Midwest data centers
Google has signed its first corporate agreement to purchase electricity from a U.S. natural gas power plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS), aiming to power its Midwest data centers. The 400-megawatt plant in Decatur, Illinois, is being developed by Low Carbon Infrastructure and is expected to capture around 90% of its CO₂ emissions by storing them underground.
The plant will be built on a site operated by agribusiness company Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), which has been using carbon capture from ethanol production since 2017. ADM will also have the option to purchase electricity from the plant, which will initially feed power into the grid, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Michael Terrell, Google’s head of Advanced Energy, said the project is a key part of the company’s strategy to advance around-the-clock clean energy technologies to meet growing electricity demands from services such as generative AI. Google and Low Carbon Infrastructure are exploring additional CCS projects in the U.S., though details on locations and timelines have not been disclosed.
Carbon capture and storage is promoted by the International Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as a way to reduce emissions from fossil fuel-based power and heavy industry, though critics question its cost, scalability, and long-term impact.
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