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- 1 Crypto mining could prolong the life of fossil fuels.
- 2 Riot Platforms is about to establish the biggest Bitcoin mine globally.
As Texas’ land becomes a blue-eyed boy for crypto miners, activists prepare themselves to chastise the growing crypto mining concerns. A press release shared by the Corsicana Daily Sun, a daily newspaper, shares details about Texas Week of Action where people will come together to raise voices against energy-intensive practices involved in Bitcoin (BTC) mining.
Crypto Mining to Add Strain on Power Grid
Riot Platform, the biggest crypto mining company in Texas, is reportedly opening the world’s largest Bitcoin mining facility in Corsicana. The crypto miner takes up 450 MW of power annually. Five out of ten BTC mines are located in the state. Altogether, they consume 1.2 GW yearly.
The press release points to an additional load that may “further strain the state’s already stressed” power grid if the facility becomes operational. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state’s grid operator, accumulates power from a range of companies generating electricity from different sources. Recently, Riot Platforms sold excess electricity worth $30 Million to the grid operator as a reward for the demand-response program.
Extreme weather events have destabilized the power grid on multiple occasions. It is currently in better shape than it was during the deep freeze of 2021. However, the threat of a raging climate remains. Record heat waves can cause equipment to overheat and shut down.
Although crypto mining is among the minor contributors of carbon emitters globally, it can take a goliath size given the rising popularity of Bitcoin. Halving, an event leading to enhanced difficulty in mining, is due next year. The event may motivate crypto miners to annex their current mining setup, leading to increased global hashrate.
Noise Pollution Is Left Unattended
Additionally, Riot Platform’s expansion could bring multiple harms to the area according to the press release. Noise pollution is a term usually lost during the momentous global warming debate. However, the issue is slowly coming to light. Recently, community members from DeWitt, Arkansas joined forces to stop a crypto mining facility from entering the region.
In July 2023, the city council of Vilonia, Arkansas, decided to stop the crypto mining operations of a miner, citing similar concerns. State Rep. Rick McClure acknowledges that “Large digital asset mining operations can be a problem. They can be loud and annoying.” The state’s Bill 851 is likely to be attracting miners to the land. The bill focuses on ‘guidance for future industry growth.’
Lastly, the press release cites concerns associated with increased “lifeline for the fossil fuel industry.” Traditional fuels are already giving a hard time to the ozone layer. With the advancement of technology, it is unlikely fossil fuel consumption will decline drastically.
Anurag is working as a fundamental writer for The Coin Republic since 2021. He likes to exercise his curious muscles and research deep into a topic. Though he covers various aspects of the crypto industry, he is quite passionate about the Web3, NFTs, Gaming, and Metaverse, and envisions them as the future of the (digital) economy. A reader & writer at heart, he calls himself an “average guitar player” and a fun footballer.
