As data centers continue driving electric load growth and greenhouse gas emissions, states must ensure they have robust protections in place. Understanding how these facilities are sited, what types of generation they are investing in, and what jurisdiction state governments have over them is essential.

In Climate XChange’s forthcoming State Policy Toolkit for Data Center Regulation on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, co-authored with experts from the World Resources Institute (WRI) Polsky Energy Center, we explore state policy solutions for reducing data centers’ emissions.

In this webinar we’ll review the emissions impacts of data centers, what technical solutions are available, and how state policy can mitigate adverse impacts to the grid and state greenhouse gas targets. Our speakers include:

• Ian Goldsmith, Clean Energy Research Associate with the WRI Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition, who will explore emerging state mechanisms to require data centers to procure more renewable energy, as well as solutions to reduce the need for fossil fuel generation overall.  
• Jordan Gerow, Director of Policy and Research at Climate XChange, who will provide an overview of site-specific opportunities for data centers to reduce their emissions, from pairing with renewables to utilizing waste heat recovery for neighboring customers, and state policy levers that can encourage development at those sites.
• Ruby Wincele, Policy and Research Manager at Climate XChange, who will provide tools and examples on how data centers can reduce emissions from on-site fossil fuel resources, particularly by increasing the efficiency and reducing the runtime of backup generators.