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It is a well-known idea that Bitcoin is contributing to the destruction of the planet, fueling an already burning world while offering value to very few people. According to a recent estimate, the energy used to maintain the grid, a process called mining, is enough to feed Hungary. But now, a Montana county in the heart of the crypto-mining territory is taking things in hand, citing a local climate emergency to try to make bitcoin greener.
The Missoula County Strategy is based on the powerful and often invisible realm of local zoning. Officials drafted a resolution, which is expected to be approved by county commissioners on Thursday, demanding new cryptocurrency mining operations to offset their energy consumption by funding or building new renewable projects. This precedes a resolution that would commit the Missoula region to produce 100% clean electricity by 2030.
"We have looked at the potential for new bitcoin operations and have found that we will never achieve those goals if the mining goes as planned," says Josh Slotnick, a member of the board of directors. "The use is so extreme that it destroys the rest of our county." Currently, the mining industry uses as much energy as one-third of the county's households, or about 40,000 people, and directly employs 19 people.
The people behind Missoula's only bitcoin mining company said they did not subscribe to the county's logic. The mine, owned by a Canadian company called Hyperblock and located in a former sawmill in the small town of Bonner, would not be subject to the new rules, which apply only to new operations. But Jason Vaughan, the facility manager, said it was no secret that the company was planning to expand. "They say it's not for Hyperblock, but it's like that," Vaughan said. "We are expanding and we are now trying to change the rules." He said that it was possible that Hyperblock spent enough time planning its expansion to be exempted from the resolution. If this is not the case, Vaughan explains, the company would explore its options to challenge the zoning rules.
Hyperblock's interest in Bonner reflects the changing landscape of bitcoin mining, which rewards machines with cryptocurrency for transaction validation. Once unused by personal computers, mining became increasingly competitive as the value of Bitcoin increased. Over time, computers have given way to mining operations that use a large number of expensive and specialized chips and that require huge amounts of energy, not only to feed the chips themselves, but also to cooling systems to prevent overheating. Two years ago, as the price of bitcoin soared, mining companies came together in low-energy, cool-weather areas with empty spaces to fill up with. mining platforms. Many jobs in the high-tech sector have chosen declining industrial cities, particularly in upstate New York and the Pacific Northwest.
It was these forces that brought Hyperblock to Montana in the first place – and the reason he survived despite uncertain chances. Mr Vaughan explained that the location of the Bonner plant and its access to cheap hydroelectric power have helped it weather the storm. Now, it enjoys reduced competition – when other miners give up their jobs, the process becomes easier for survivors – and seeks to expand. Hyperblock, he says, is punished for his responsible stewardship. "They are propaganda that we are contributing to global warming and yet we are buying electricity at Kerr Dam," he says. "They chase us even if we do things right."
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Slotnick says it's not good enough. The energy needs of the Bonner Mine, he says, simply push other businesses and homes in the county to use unclean fuel, especially coal. In any case, he adds, the measure is not aimed at targeting a particular company. Two other mining farms have recently opened in neighboring counties and officials have heard of crypto-mining companies seeking to move to one of the other empty mills in the county. Slotnick notes that for the moment, the new zoning is temporary, even though it hopes that it will eventually become permanent and that it may be adapted to extend its reach to other industries. high energy.
"We really felt the effects of climate change in terms of forest fires," Slotnick said. "Even if there were no mining bitcoin in our neighborhood, we would still feel these effects. But this contributes to a global problem that is felt locally. "
The resolution also mentions other impacts of mining that, according to her, require new zoning rules, including noise. Hyperblock became infamous in Bonner asleep due to the roar generated by fans cooling the mining platforms, sparking months of public debate. The company eventually gave in to the complaints of its neighbors and the modernization of its fans last year. Another concern raised in the resolution concerns electronic waste produced when mining chips are used or become obsolete. (Vaughan says that the Bonner mine has never had a problem with electronic waste and is doing its best to recycle the components of mining.)
Diana Maneta, the county's sustainable development coordinator, said the officials were not trying to ban mining facilities in Missoula County. According to her, worries about issues such as e-waste come from other areas where mining activities are even more rooted, such as east Washington. She recognizes the challenges posed by installing new sources of renewable energy from scratch, but notes that the county has identified several ways to help meet this requirement, such as agreements to Purchase to help finance projects elsewhere. "With these options, you do not pay huge upfront costs," she says.
Missoula County is not the only place to resist cryptocurrency mining. Last year, Plattsburgh, New York, imposed a temporary moratorium after mining activities led to soaring electricity prices. But Maneta thinks Missoula is the first to tackle the problem from a climate change perspective. To develop the resolution, the county has examined other municipalities taking action to combat climate change, a trend that has accelerated since the US withdrawal from the climate agreement from Paris. She quotes Boulder, Colorado, who needed marijuana grow operations to offset her energy consumption through renewable energy, in accordance with local public health rules.
The impact of a country move on the broader impact of bitcoin on climate is unclear. Bitcoins and climate change have, after all, one thing in common: they do not yield to any authority. a mining company, discouraged by local rules, may simply choose to settle in an abandoned plant or factory. But Slotnick hopes it will be a start and an example for other cities and counties sharing similar concerns. "That's what you have to do," he says.
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