Microsoft adds wastewater-based carbon removal to climate portfolio.

Microsoft signed a carbon removal deal with Crew, which captures carbon dioxide through wastewater alkalinity enhancement. The agreement covers 23,602 tons of carbon removal.

Crew enhances wastewater alkalinity, drawing down and locking away atmospheric carbon dioxide. The deal is part of Microsoft’s effort to build a diverse carbon removal portfolio spanning multiple technologies and suppliers for its climate commitments.

The purchase follows a pattern DCD tracks across the hyperscale sector: large cloud operators lock in carbon removal capacity years ahead of need, betting on early offtake agreements to help nascent removal technologies scale.

Carbon removal purchases complement operational efficiency work inside the data center, not replace it. Every ton of carbon avoided through better PUE and thermal management never needs offsetting. As sustainability reporting requirements tighten, operators with real-time PUE and power data are better positioned than those relying on offset purchases alone.

Source: Data Center Dynamics