Data centers are straining Earth's resources. Could moving them to space be a solution?

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published September 17, 2025 at 11:48 AM EDT

The explosive growth of cloud-computing data centers is straining electric grids, driving emissions and guzzling water. Over half of the energy powering these facilities comes from fossil fuels, threatening to reverse progress toward addressing the climate crisis. One possible solution being floated is moving data centers to space and using the sun to power them.

Sophie Hurwitz, climate solutions fellow for Grist, talks with Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd about whether this is a real solution or just a billionaire’s dream.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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