According to the Kleinman Center for Energy Research, Massachusetts could emerge as an unlikely laboratory for a new climate experiment: using the explosive growth of data centers to help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
In a blog post researchers from the center show how the state sits at the intersection of two powerful trends. Data centers, driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence, are proliferating across Greater Boston and beyond, bringing rising electricity demand and heavy water use. At the same time, Massachusetts has built one of the most detailed policy frameworks in the U.S. for carbon dioxide removal, or CDR, which scientists increasingly see as essential alongside emissions cuts.
Direct air capture systems rely on chemical materials that bind carbon dioxide from ambient air. To reuse those materials, heat must be applied. Data centers generate large volumes of low-grade waste heat that is typically vented away. With the right equipment, that heat can be redirected to power carbon capture.
Scale and challenges
In practice, the scale is modest but cumulative. A single five-megawatt data center could support a nearby capture unit that removes several thousand tons of carbon dioxide annually. Massachusetts already hosts roughly 50 data centers, with more planned, creating the possibility of a distributed network of small capture facilities.
But storage of the CO2 is the harder question. Unlike regions with deep geologic formations, Massachusetts would rely on locking carbon dioxide into concrete and industrial byproducts used in construction. With the state consuming millions of tons of concrete each year, advocates see room to embed captured carbon into buildings, roads, and other infrastructure.
Water use remains a potential flashpoint. Traditional data centers can consume millions of gallons per megawatt each year. Integrating carbon capture could reduce that burden by diverting heat away from evaporative cooling, though the trade-offs require closer study.
Microsoft at the forefront
Microsoft is already testing the concept in practice. In its latest sustainability report, the company disclosed that it is running a pilot direct air capture system embedded inside its data centers and powered by waste heat from computing workloads.
The project, known as DACinDC, uses advanced materials optimized with AI to improve capture efficiency, while directly addressing emissions tied to data center growth. The effort follows a sharp rise in Microsoft’s emissions linked to data center construction and expanding AI demand.
The bigger picture extends well beyond Massachusetts. The International Energy Agency has warned that carbon removal capacity must scale dramatically to meet global climate goals. Federal incentives, including expanded U.S. tax credits for carbon utilization, are pushing capital toward experimental projects.
Meanwhile, tech companies face mounting pressure from investors and regulators to curb the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure. If Massachusetts succeeds, it could offer a template for turning one of the digital economy’s fastest-growing liabilities into a partial climate asset.
Read more: Wyoming Lands 1.8-Gigawatt AI Data Center Powered By Gas And Carbon Capture
