Crypto News: The carbon footprint of the data center surge

Data centers use vast amounts of energy and water, but their environmental footprint starts to balloon long before they come online: Construction of the massive facilities requires immense amounts of carbon-intensive concrete. By one estimate, the data center buildout in the US through 2030 could generate some 1.9 million metric tons of CO2 emissions — equivalent to annual emissions for 415,000 gas-powered cars — if traditional concrete is used.

To reduce that footprint, some tech companies are turning to low-carbon concrete. This is giving a boost to the green cement industry, but maybe not enough to meet enormous potential demand. The industry suffered a setback last year when President Donald Trump pulled roughly $1.6 billion in federal funding, Olivia Raimonde reports. Today on Bloomberg: The Data Center Surge Has a Hidden Source of Carbon Emissions

— Linda Poon

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