[mritterhoff]

While Meta has a non-binding promise to build more renewable energy, the Louisiana Legislature passed a new law that adds natural gas to the definition of green energy, allowing Zuckerberg and others to count Entergy’s gas turbines as “green.”

As much as I prefer burning gas over coal, conflating it with zero(-ish) emission energy sources like wind, solar, and nuclear is bad.

[juujian]

Due to all the methane leaks, gas isn't even as much cleaner than coal as it was purported to be... But hey monitoring programs got cut so I guess that solves the problem...

[potato3732842]

From a purely greenhouse gas accounting, sure.

Anyone who has to live in a fairly closed system (i.e. this planet) in which fossil fuels are burned for power would be beyond a fool to not strongly prefer gas over coal seeing as their greenhouse emissions are close enough to be within arguing distance. It's all the other stuff coming out that's the problem with coal.

[mritterhoff]

I agree methane leaks (and monitoring programs cuts) are a problem. But even with them, methane burns much more cleanly than coal. The former primarily emits CO2 and H2O, while the latter emits SO2, NOx, heavy metals and more.

[chris_va]

As an aside, methane leaks from coal mines can be worse than upstream leaks from O&G.

[maxehmookau]

Adding natural gas to the definition of green energy is absolutely wild. How on earth did that pass?

[dublinben]

Louisiana has a long history of political corruption, and the petrochemical industry is a major part of their economy.

[jjice]

I have to imagine it's just a complete lack of care and classifying it as "green" helps push through something that they're being lobbied to push. I can't imagine this is anything but nonsense.

[yoyohello13]

We all know how it passed. Legislators have lots of money in natural gas I’m sure.

[h1fra]

burning fossil fuel and depleting the local water aquifer, I'm starting to miss the greenwashing era

[estearum]

Behaving a certain way to pretend being virtuous, it turns out, is almost as good as actually being virtuous.

[jandrese]

Is there really a concern that the datacenter is going to drink up all the water in Louisiana?

I was much more concerned that it will be expensive to cool because it's situated in a state with a lot of hot and humid days.

[gosub100]

Redefining words to fit their narrative and premise...hmm where have I seen that before?

[matthewdgreen]

Who is this non-binding promise being made to, and why make one?

[JKCalhoun]

"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today…" Seems to be pretty common these days when corporate make deals with cities/counties/states.

[barbazoo]

> Meta has a non-binding promise to build more renewable energy

Also the people working for that company. Unimaginable wealth, both at the corporate and personal level, everyone aware at this point that the climate is breaking down and yet, they just can't do the right thing because they are just too damn greedy.

[digdugdirk]

Looks like Louisiana is all aboard the "internal colonialism" that seems to be all the rage at the state level lately. In this case, flouting national/international renewable energy policy so the good people of Louisiana can get the long term benefit of... Having to deal with the fallout of another datacentre project?

Come on Louisiana legislature, at least make them pay for resurfacing a highway or something.

[lupusreal]

> Having to deal with the fallout of another datacentre project?

I don't understand. What are the specific risks facing the people of Louisiana?

[m101]

None of those energy source is zero-ish. They all require upfront releases of CO2 to create, and end of life release to recycle.

Nuclear for base load and gas for peak/flexible demand is the most climate friendly solution available.

[digdugdirk]

Look, I love to be pedantic as much as the next person on this site, but let's not miss the forest for the trees. State level legislature relabeling fossil fuels so they count as "green" is not the path to a better future.

[timeon]

> They all require upfront releases of CO2 to create, and end of life release to recycle.

All of them require that; but not all of them require it during the production. Some, like natural gas, do.