Google LLC Partners With Crusoe Energy for Texas Gas-Powered Datacenter

Google LLC is partnering with AI infrastructure firm Crusoe Energy to develop the Goodnight datacenter campus in Armstrong County, Texas. The facility will be powered by a 933-megawatt natural gas power plant designed to operate off the grid, which is projected to emit up to 4.5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually.

The project, uncovered through permit applications and research by the organization Cleanview, suggests a strategic pivot for the company. While Google LLC previously pledged carbon neutrality by 2030, its greenhouse gas emissions have risen 48 percent since 2019, driven by the intensive energy requirements of artificial intelligence. Other industry peers, including Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon, are similarly adopting natural gas to sustain their AI infrastructure.

Google LLC spokesperson Chrissy Moy stated that the company does not yet have a contract in place for the gas plant, though Google LLC has confirmed its involvement in the campus and an agreement for 265 megawatts of wind power at the site. Crusoe Energy has defended the approach, characterizing natural gas as a necessary bridge to carbon-free energy while investing in future technologies like small modular nuclear reactors.