New Atlas Analyzes Nationwide Suitability for Natural Gas Power With Carbon Capture and Storage

A new national atlas from GPI provides a comprehensive analysis of the suitability of areas across the United States to support natural gas-fired power generation with carbon capture and storage (NG + CCS), offering insights to help meet rising electricity demand while reducing emissions.

After decades of relatively stable electricity demand, US consumption is projected to grow significantly, as much as 35 to 50 percent by 2040, according to a recent study by American Clean Power. The growth is largely driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, and the electrification of industry and transportation. Meeting it while ensuring reliability and reducing emissions will require a diverse mix of technologies.

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Meeting growing electricity demand with natural gas and carbon capture and storage

Natural gas currently provides about 40 percent of US electricity, while it is increasingly being considered for on-site power generation at new data centers. Pairing it with carbon capture offers a pathway to maintain reliable, dispatchable power while lowering emissions.

The Atlas of Natural Gas Power with Carbon Capture and Storage uses a national, data-driven multi-criteria decision analysis to evaluate siting conditions, including access to natural gas, carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage, infrastructure, land, water, and proximity to demand.

“This kind of analysis is essential for decision makers who are navigating a rapidly changing energy landscape,” said Patrice Lahlum, vice president of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management at GPI. “Electricity demand is rising quickly, and leaders across the public and private sectors are being asked to ensure reliability and affordability while also reducing emissions. Tools like this help identify where carbon management can be deployed most effectively, grounding those decisions in data, infrastructure realities, and community context.”

The atlas includes multiple scenarios that prioritize different aspects of a project based on what is most important to the developers and communities involved. The analysis identifies extensive areas of moderate to high suitability, particularly across the Gulf Coast, West Texas, Oklahoma, and parts of the Midwest—including approximately 54,000 square kilometers of highly suitable land and 2.3 million square kilometers of moderately high suitability. These results underscore the importance of prioritizing access to CO2 storage, with transport networks developed as needed to support NG + CCS deployment at scale.

Leveraging the NG + CCS atlas for project planning

While not project-specific, the atlas is designed as an early-stage screening tool to help policy makers, developers, and system planners focus on the most promising regions and guide more detailed evaluation and infrastructure planning.

However, it does not replace project-level considerations such as siting, permitting, community engagement, and land and pore space ownership. GPI also offers a Decision Support Tool for carbon management that provide shared, accessible data to support informed and inclusive siting decisions.

The full atlas and interactive maps are available at: carboncaptureready.betterenergy.org.