According to CoinDesk, Bitcoin miner Marathon Digital has initiated a pilot mining project in Utah, utilizing methane gas produced from landfill waste to generate electricity for mining operations. The company has partnered with Nodal Power, a renewable energy asset developer and operator, for the 280 kilowatt (kW) test project. If the pilot meets expectations, Marathon may expand its methane-based operation.
The pilot project is part of Marathon's broader initiative to capture methane emissions from landfills, convert them into electricity, and use that power for Bitcoin mining. This is not the first instance of a mining firm seeking alternative energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, startup Vespene Energy raised funds to mine Bitcoin using a similar energy source, while other miners like Crusoe Energy have set up remote facilities to utilize otherwise wasted natural gas for mining operations, reducing methane gas emissions in the process.
Marathon Chairman and CEO Fred Thiel stated that methane gas, which is 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide for 20 years after its release, is often stranded and that Bitcoin miners like Marathon can help convert this harmful gas into a clean, renewable energy source. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that municipal solid waste emissions accounted for approximately 14.3% of all methane emissions in the United States in 2021. Thiel emphasized Marathon's commitment to seeking innovative ways to diversify operations, lower energy costs, and leverage Bitcoin mining's unique aspects to improve the environment.
