Modelling suggests waste heat from AI data centres could power carbon capture and water purification
By 
Charley James2025-08-27T14:22:00
Analysis considering thermodynamics, economics and emissions shows how AI could flip its environmental footprint to become both water-positive and carbon-negative
Excess heat from AI data centres could be repurposed in innovative ways to help tackle global warming. That’s the conclusion of a study by researchers at the Advanced Research Projects Agency in the US. Among the candidate uses for that heat, two stood out for their economic and environmental value: carbon capture by direct air capture (DAC) and evaporative water purification.