Court temporarily blocks Energy Department from collecting data on crypto miners’ energy use

Just the News ^ | February 26, 2024 11:00pm | Kevin Killough

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Cryptocurrency miners have become a target in President Joe Biden’s goal of building an electricity grid that produces no carbon dioxide emissions by 2035, and the Energy Information Administration issued a mandatory survey on miners' electricity use.

Cryptocurrency miners scored an early win against a mandatory survey that the Department of Energy (DOE) demanded facilities answer concerning their energy use.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas Friday granted a temporary restraining order that blocks the DOE for two weeks from forcing cryptocurrency mining companies to provide information they say is sensitive to their operations and costly to collect.

Cryptocurrency miners have become a target in President Joe Biden’s goal of building an electricity grid that produces no carbon dioxide emissions by 2035.

“Depending on the energy intensity of the technology and the sources of electricity used, the rapid growth of crypto-assets could potentially hinder broader efforts to achieve U.S. climate commitments to reach net-zero carbon pollution,” the White House said in a 2022 statement.

Electricity demand across the world is growing, and renewable energy can’t keep up with the increases. According to the International Energy Agency, countries are utilizing fossil fuel generation to meet the increased demand.

As with data centers, bitcoin mining facilities use a lot of electricity. According to estimates from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Bitcoin mining in the U.S. used about 0.6% to 2.3% of all U.S. electricity demand in 2023.

In an effort to gauge the size and scope of cryptocurrency mining in the U.S., and its growth, the EIA issued a mandatory survey to "systematically evaluate the electricity consumption" of the industry. Failure to respond to the survey, according to the NCLA complaint, would subject the companies to fines and penalties.

The demand didn’t sit well...

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

“Depending on the energy intensity of the technology and the sources of electricity used, the rapid growth of crypto-assets could potentially hinder broader efforts to achieve U.S. climate commitments to reach net-zero carbon pollution,” the White House said in a 2022 statement.

The White House went on to say that crypto assets provided an unacceptable alternative to a Central Bank Digital Currency.

[Lockbox]

provide information they say is sensitive to their operations and costly to collect.

I feel the same about IRS requests, wonder if Judge could help me out?

[SunTzuWu]

They pay for what they use. Leave them alone.
Next they will be coming for you because you use the AC too much. It’s always OK when they abuse “the other guy”.

[Ex-Con777]

Go after EV charging stations.

EC