A company planning a facility to directly capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air in southwestern Wyoming is pausing the project, citing competition for renewable energy from expanding data centers.

On Sept. 2, 2024, CarbonCapture announced a pause in development on Project Bison, a direct air capture plant in Lincoln County, Wyoming, after the company was unable to secure enough renewable energy to power the facility.

Also known as the Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub, the project was expected to remove five million metric tons of CO2 per year from the air by 2030, requiring 2 gigawatts of energy annually. The company has indicated it is considering new sites to build the facility.