Amazon fuel cells would use natural gas to power Oregon data centers, increasing carbon footprint

Amazon needs to energy at the very least three of its Oregon knowledge facilities — and maybe as many as seven — with pure gasoline gas cells that regulators say would contribute much more to local weather change than the grid electrical energy Amazon has been utilizing.

In contrast to a standard energy plant that combusts pure gasoline to spin a turbine, Amazon proposes to make use of a gas cell expertise that can oxidize the fossil gas to generate electrical energy.

“We’re investing in gas cells as a approach to energy a small variety of our operations in Oregon,” Amazon mentioned in a written assertion. “We frequently innovate to reduce our impression on our neighbors, native sources, and the atmosphere and this expertise offers a pathway for much less carbon intensive options within the area.”

State regulators describe it in another way. Whereas the gas cells reduce down on pollution that may create localized air high quality hazards, regulators’ feedback about Amazon’s proposal – obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive via a public data request – point out the gas cells don’t scale back emissions of carbon dioxide, the first greenhouse gasoline contributing to local weather change.

In truth, state knowledge reveals that as a result of the gas cells would scale back the information facilities’ use of unpolluted hydropower, they might really improve Amazon’s carbon footprint within the area.

Amazon has mentioned beforehand it’s dedicated to “to obtain 100% renewable vitality” for its operations by 2025. The gas cells counsel Amazon could also be transferring in the other way in Oregon.

“Does (Amazon) actually suppose we gained’t dig round and discover out the place their electrical energy is coming from? That’s foolish,” mentioned Angus Duncan, former chair of the Oregon World Warming Fee and guide to the Nationwide Sources Protection Council.

The tech big’s gas cells would emit the equal of 250,000 tons of carbon dioxide yearly, in line with the Oregon Division of Environmental High quality. Which means three Amazon knowledge facilities would generate 1 / 4 of the carbon impression of your entire gas-fired energy plant Portland Normal Electrical operates close by.

The gas cells may run afoul of a clear vitality invoice earlier than the Oregon Legislature, which might require knowledge facilities and cryptocurrency miners to fulfill the identical emissions requirements as giant electrical utilities.

“In the event that they need to use gas cells there, allow them to use gas cells there however allow them to confine themselves to no extra liberal an emissions construction than the investor-owned utilities have dedicated to,” Duncan mentioned. Amazon “can get (energy) from a magic globe so far as I’m involved. That’s not the difficulty. The problem is their emissions.”

Oregon is dwelling to a big cluster of information facilities operated by lots of the nation’s largest tech corporations. They’re attracted by comparatively low cost electrical energy, water, large parcels of rural land and big tax breaks. Property tax exemptions saved Amazon $53 million final yr on its knowledge facilities in Morrow County, and one other $23 million on knowledge facilities in neighboring Umatilla County.

Knowledge facilities want big portions of electrical energy to energy their computer systems and hold them cool. Fb and Apple have financed photo voltaic or wind initiatives close to their knowledge facilities in Prineville to offer clear vitality for his or her operations.

Amazon, although, powers its Morrow County knowledge facilities with vitality from the native utility, the Umatilla Electrical Cooperative. Amazon has a cluster of 4 monumental knowledge facilities within the county of 12,000 residents, 160 miles up the Columbia River from Portland.

As a result of the cooperative has exhausted its comparatively small allocation of hydroelectricity from the Bonneville Energy Administration, it should go to the open market to purchase electrical energy to fulfill Amazon’s wants. Most of that energy is generated with pure gasoline, a fossil gas with a comparatively excessive carbon footprint.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported final yr that Amazon’s rising footprint in Morrow County has coincided with an unlimited rise in regional carbon emissions since 2018.

Amazon first briefed the Oregon Division of Environmental High quality about its gas cell plans final summer season, in line with the Amazon’s submissions to the state.

The paperwork present Amazon hopes to put in the gas cells at three knowledge facilities by August, probably including gas cells at 4 extra websites close by sooner or later. They might be the primary gas cells of this kind in Oregon and characterize the primary time Amazon has used this expertise at knowledge facilities anyplace on this planet.

The data present Amazon gas cells would come from a California firm, Bloom Vitality, which says in its filings they would supply dependable energy with out locking Amazon into long-term commitments.

Bloom Vitality’s web site touts gas cells as a approach to work round constrained electrical transmission strains by utilizing generated energy on web site. Amazon plans to construct as many as 5 extra knowledge facilities in Morrow County.

The gas cell expertise generates electrical energy “by harnessing an electrochemical response between hydrogen from pure gasoline gas and oxygen within the ambient air,” in line with a allow software that Amazon’s consultants submitted to the state.

The data describe Amazon’s gas cell installations as 24.3 megawatts apiece. That’s slightly below a 25-megawatt restrict on new, pure gasoline electrical vegetation the Oregon Legislature adopted in a landmark local weather invoice handed in 2021.

Amazon doesn’t report its electrical energy use at particular person knowledge facilities so it’s not clear precisely how a lot carbon dioxide its current energy association generates. Neither is it clear how the gas cells’ prices evaluate to the facility the corporate buys from Umatilla Electrical.

In a report on Amazon’s proposal, Oregon DEQ says emissions from the oxidizing gas cells are “basically the identical as combustion of pure gasoline.”

Amazon’s shift would improve the corporate’s greenhouse gasoline emissions general, in line with DEQ calculations. That’s as a result of the gas cells are solely reliant on pure gasoline, whereas Umatilla Electrical’s energy combine contains hydropower, which has no local weather impression. (The DEQ says the gas cells’ greenhouse gasoline depth is 61% greater than the common emissions from Umatilla Electrical energy.

The gas cells don’t emit different pollution related to pure gasoline combustion. These pollution usually are not important contributors to local weather change however can create air high quality hazards within the quick space round an influence plant.

Bloom says its gas cells are “basically feedstock impartial,” so that they may very well be tailored to make use of cleaner fuels equivalent to renewable pure gasoline or hydrogen, which may scale back their local weather impression. Amazon has a consultant on the board of the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Affiliation, which is selling efforts to take part in a federal effort to determine “hydrogen hubs” across the nation.

In the present day, although, hydrogen gas cells aren’t broadly used, as a result of hydrogen extraction is each costly and vitality intensive. Whereas Amazon’s assertion about its Oregon gas cells describes a “pathway for much less carbon intensive options,” its filings with the state don’t embody a plan to maneuver to hydrogen. And if it ever does transfer to a cleaner gas, it doesn’t seem will probably be quickly.

Amazon’s plans point out the corporate needs to produce its knowledge facilities with pure gasoline by connecting to the Gasoline Transmission Northwest pipeline, which carries pure gasoline from British Columbia via Oregon to California.

Amazon would construct three connectors, every somewhat greater than a mile, to hyperlink its knowledge facilities to spurs off the primary GTN pipeline. That up-front funding suggests Amazon expects to make use of these gasoline pipelines for an prolonged interval.

Energy strains to produce Amazon knowledge facilities have been a contentious difficulty in Morrow County, the place farmers and different property homeowners have objected to having the strains cross their land. Gasoline pipelines to Amazon’s knowledge facilities would additionally must cross farms and may current a few of the similar points.

The homeowners of the GTN pipeline, which carries pure gasoline from Canada obtained by fracking, is looking for to develop its capability to move extra gasoline. Final summer season, attorneys normal in Oregon, Washington and California sought to dam that enlargement, citing international warming considerations.

Audrey Leonard, workers lawyer with Columbia Riverkeeper, mentioned Amazon’s plans would add to calls for on the pipeline and the usage of pure gasoline. She mentioned that’s regarding due to the impression fracking has on the pure atmosphere round gasoline drilling websites and due to pure gasoline’ contribution to local weather change.

“That is simply another reason to oppose including extra fracked gasoline into the GTN pipeline,” Leonard mentioned, “and help efforts to carry Large Tech to a clear vitality normal.”

— Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | 503-294-7699

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