Methane gas runoff is “80 times more harmful than CO2 for 20 years after it is released, and BTC mining can reduce its emission, according to a report by the United Nations.
A new peer-reviewed scientific paper, “An integrated landfill gas-to-energy and BTC mining framework,” published in the August 29 Journal of Cleaner Production, illustrated how BTC mining could decrease methane emissions.
BTC mining can reduce methane emissions
The research paper elucidated the unique position of Bitcoin miners to capitalize on “Landfill Gas to Energy” (LFGTE) systems, which capture and convert methane gas from waste landfills into usable energy. This process sequesters the greenhouse gas and mitigates its detrimental effects on the atmosphere.
The authors contended that BTC mining is distinguished by its appropriate incentive structure for a capital-intensive, long-term commitment project. They asserted that other private enterprises are deficient due to the absence of sustainable revenue generation and cost recovery strategies. The researchers have stated that:
“Bitcoin’s economic incentives, available globally for miners in any location, may offer an innovative solution for encouraging methane mitigation without the need for government incentives—presenting a scalable and novel solution for rapid deployment.”
Additionally, the researchers observed that this incentive structure is not restricted to methane emissions; it could also be employed to recycle underutilized energy in the form of “Orphaned oil, gas wells, wastewater treatment plants, farms, and agricultural processing operations.”.
Marathon Digital leverages LFGTE systems
MARA, previously known as Marathon Digital, collaborated with Nodal Power in 2023 to mine Bitcoin in Utah using methane gas. MARA Chairman and CEO Fred Thiel stated the following when the 280-kilowatt initiative was initially announced:
“At Marathon, we are constantly seeking innovative ways to diversify our operations, lower our energy costs, and leverage the unique aspects of Bitcoin mining to better the environments in which we operate.”
Other research papers agree with the findings
The theme of Bitcoin miners reducing emissions by repurposing underused energy sources was not the first to be addressed in the recent research paper published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
The Institute of Risk Management published a research study 2023 that determined that BTC mining operations could reduce global emissions by approximately 8% by 2030.
