Amazon has partnered with Orbital Materials, an AI startup, to deploy a novel carbon capture technology at one of its AWS data centers.
This collaboration addresses the surging energy demands of AI while attempting to align with Amazon’s climate commitments. The initiative aims to capture more carbon dioxide than the data center produces, potentially creating a cost-effective alternative to traditional carbon offsets.
Carbon capture at data centers leverages the facilities’ inherent advantage—massive airflow systems designed to cool thousands of servers. Orbital’s proprietary material, specifically engineered to work with the hot air expelled by data centers, is expected to significantly cut carbon capture costs. By integrating this material into the AWS facility, Amazon hopes to demonstrate a scalable solution that offsets its operational emissions more effectively than conventional methods. The financial appeal lies in reducing costs below those of purchasing carbon offsets while retaining the ability to directly verify captured carbon.
Orbital Materials specializes in using AI to design advanced compounds for applications ranging from batteries to semiconductors. The material for this pilot project reflects a pivot toward carbon capture, although the company has kept specific details of the compound confidential.
While the concept isn’t new—both Alphabet and Meta hold patents related to carbon capture at data centers—widespread adoption faces challenges. Costs remain a primary obstacle. The material and additional energy demands for filtration systems add to expenses, and companies must determine how to store or repurpose the captured carbon. For this approach to gain traction, it must remain competitive with the price of market-purchased carbon offsets.
Despite these hurdles, on-site carbon capture offers distinct advantages. It eliminates intermediaries in carbon markets, simplifies verification, and could turn data centers into carbon credit producers. If the AWS project succeeds, it may signal a new era for Big Tech’s efforts to balance sustainability with the ever-increasing energy demands of AI.
