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Google is turning on the gas for its data centers — quite literally. The tech giant has partnered on a new gas-powered energy project that it claims will help advance cleaner, more sustainable cloud operations. The initiative centers on a controversial technology: carbon capture and storage (CCS), a system designed to trap carbon emissions before they reach the atmosphere.
While Google frames this as part of its broader clean energy strategy, critics argue that carbon capture could simply extend reliance on fossil fuels rather than eliminate them. Still, the company insists this move is a step toward sustainable innovation.
The latest announcement reveals that Google has signed a deal to support the development of the Broadwing Energy Center in Illinois — a 400MW gas-fired power plant equipped with CCS technology. Google is turning on the gas for its data centers through this project, aiming to buy “most” of the energy produced once it comes online in 2030.
This carbon capture plant is intended to filter out carbon dioxide from smokestack emissions, storing it deep underground. The goal is to prevent the greenhouse gas from accumulating in the atmosphere and worsening climate change.
Carbon capture and storage sounds promising on paper, but its track record has been rocky. Past projects in the U.S. have faced steep costs, operational setbacks, and mixed results. A 2021 Government Accountability Office report showed that out of six federally funded CCS projects, only one became operational.
Experts question whether investments like Google’s will meaningfully reduce emissions or simply delay the transition to truly renewable power sources like wind and solar. Despite this skepticism, Google maintains that supporting innovative CCS projects aligns with its long-term goal of operating entirely on carbon-free energy.
So why is Google turning on the gas for its data centers instead of going all-in on renewables? According to the company, CCS offers a bridge solution for balancing grid reliability with sustainability. Data centers — the backbone of Google Search, YouTube, and its growing AI operations — demand massive amounts of constant energy.
Google argues that pairing natural gas with carbon capture could provide stable, low-carbon power while renewable capacity continues to expand. “Our goal is to help bring promising new CCS solutions to the market while learning and innovating quickly,” the company said in its announcement.
As tech companies face mounting pressure to decarbonize, projects like Broadwing raise tough questions about what “clean” energy really means. Is it possible to make fossil fuel projects part of a green strategy?
Google insists that this partnership demonstrates its willingness to explore all available options to achieve a carbon-free future. Yet environmental advocates warn that investing in gas plants — even with carbon capture — risks locking in fossil infrastructure for decades.
By turning on the gas for its data centers, Google walks a fine line between innovation and controversy. The company has already committed to powering its global operations with 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. However, its partnership with Broadwing suggests that the path to that goal might include unconventional — and disputed — technologies.
Whether CCS becomes a meaningful part of the climate solution or another expensive detour remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Google’s energy strategy continues to evolve as it seeks to power the next generation of AI and cloud computing while managing its environmental footprint.
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