Overview

• xAI’s Memphis facility operates 35 mobile gas turbines without Clean Air Act permits, emitting up to 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides annually.
• The turbines, used as a stopgap while awaiting grid connection, are now among Memphis's largest sources of air pollution.
• Predominantly Black neighborhoods near the site, like Boxtown, report increased asthma and respiratory issues linked to emissions.
• The EPA recently clarified rules allowing mobile generators for data centers, while the Clean Cloud Act proposes stricter emissions standards, though its passage is unlikely.
• The International Energy Agency projects data centers’ energy demand to double in five years, intensifying reliance on temporary fossil-fuel solutions.