A U.S. federal judge has temporarily halted the Department of Energy’s (DOE) plans to poll big bitcoin mining companies about their energy consumption.
The DOE wanted to collect statistics on bitcoin mining’s rapidly increasing energy use, which now rivals that of a small state. However, Texas-based bitcoin mining companies filed to stop the DOE’s emergency order requiring them to fill out a “extremely inaccurate” survey.
Judge Alan Albright concurred with the mining corporations, issuing a temporary injunction against the study due to worries that it could divulge sensitive information. Albright stated that the DOE overreached by declaring an emergency that jeopardized public welfare. The DOE contended that mining’s carbon footprint and impact on energy costs justified immediate action, but Albright found those arguments unconvincing.
With the survey on hold due to more litigation, the DOE faces substantial challenges in shedding light on bitcoin mining’s rapidly expanding energy consumption in the United States. The conflict illustrates difficulties between bitcoin’s climate impact and the government’s data collection authorities. For the time being, the energy outflow from mining is unknown, making it difficult to prepare for future grid needs.
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