Pilot Bitcoin Mining Project With Methane Gas From Landfills Launches

Bitcoin mining company Marathon Digital launched a pilot project in Utah using methane gas generated from landfill waste to make electric power for mining operations, CoinDesk reported. Marathon Digital and Nodal Power, a company in the renewable energy sector, partnered to carry out the project, the capacity of which is 280 kilowatts (kW).

If the pilot project meets expectations, Marathon will consider growing its methane-based operations. The company said that its project is part of a wider initiative it has launched. The initiative is aimed at capturing methane generated from landfills, converting it into electric power, and then using that electric power for Bitcoin mining.

Аttempts to cut energy costs

This isn’t the first time a mining company has tried to cut its electric power costs. In addition, environmentally conscious companies are looking to solve greenhouse emission-related problems. Crusoe Energy set up remote facilities to use wasted natural gas to power mining operations. They reduced the methane gas released into the air in the process.

Marathon Chairman and CEO Fred Thiel commented:

The methane naturally produced from landfills, biowaste, and elsewhere is often stranded, and Bitcoin miners like Marathon are uniquely positioned to help convert this harmful gas into a productive source of clean, renewable energy.

The dangers of unprocessed methane gas

According to the United Nations Environment Program, methane gas is 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, and its effects persist for two decades after it is released into the environment. Data of the Environmental Protection Agency indicates that solid waste emissions accounted for almost 15% of all emissions of methane in the US in 2021.

Thiel added that his company was always looking for novel ways to reduce energy costs, diversify its operations, and use Bitcoin mining’s unique aspects to improve the environments, in which the company works. He believes it has a real chance to capture the methane emitted from landfills and convert it into electric power for Bitcoin mining.