Amazon has announced it will not use a controversial natural gas pipeline to power one of its upcoming data centers. The company had planned to connect its data centers in Boardman, Oregon, to TC Energy’s Gas Transmission Northwest Xpress Project, which runs through Canada, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. This connection would have allowed Amazon to draw enough natural gas to generate about 24 megawatts of electricity, enough to power over 19,000 homes temporarily.
However, this plan conflicted with Amazon’s climate pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and to run its operations entirely on renewable energy by next year. Notably, Amazon’s emissions have increased since it made this pledge four years ago.
Earlier this year, climate protesters blockaded the entrances to Amazon’s Day 1 building in Seattle, opposing the plan to use the natural gas line. Research increasingly shows that natural gas, though often marketed as a cleaner energy transition fuel, can be as harmful to the atmosphere as coal.
Following the downtown protest, Amazon withdrew its application to use the natural gas in May, confirmed a company spokesperson. However, they did not provide further details about the data center’s size, opening date, or alternative power sources.
Amazon stated in an email, “We are engaging thoughtfully with Oregon policymakers, environmental advocates, and the energy sector to meet our shared goal of clean, carbon-free energy that can scale to meet the needs of families, businesses, and other constituents in Oregon.”
The company also highlighted efforts to increase renewable energy in Oregon, citing a recent investment in the Leaning Juniper wind farm. This project aims to refurbish 36 of the 43 turbines, extending the site’s life and boosting its peak generation capacity by about 9%.
Emily Johnston, a core organizer with the protest group Troublemakers, welcomed Amazon’s decision as a victory. However, she urged Amazon to further reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. Johnston noted that the natural gas pipeline is still expanding, suggesting other companies might still use it.
The pipeline, approved by federal authorities in October, will pump an additional 150 million cubic feet of natural gas daily. TC Energy representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Joshua Basofin, clean energy program director for the nonprofit Climate Solutions, praised Amazon’s decision as a positive step. Climate Solutions has previously received donations from Amazon’s now-closed philanthropic arm.
However, Basofin emphasized the difficulty of sourcing enough renewable energy for data centers, which store and process vast amounts of information for Amazon and other companies.
Lauren McCloy, policy director for the Northwest Energy Coalition, pointed out that companies like Amazon often propose data centers in rural areas that lack the resources to meet their power needs. The growing demand for electricity, driven by the shift away from fossil fuels, creates a “tidal wave” of extra demand on the region’s limited generating capacity. This can drive up prices for other businesses and communities needing more electricity in the future.
McCloy noted that while Amazon and others might fund projects to generate more electricity, this is only part of the solution. For a company with vast resources, Amazon must also invest in new transmission projects, broader efficiency efforts, and demand management across the electrical grid.
“They’re happy to show a picture of a wind farm on their website and say ‘We power our data centers on clean energy,’” McCloy said. “But are they doing the work on the demand side?”