4 ms·
My prediction is that the only ones of these that will survive are the natural gas ones that also sell to the grid. Texas has so much gas and methane being thr
by vmception 5y ago
My prediction is that the only ones of these that will survive are the natural gas ones that also sell to the grid.
Texas has so much gas and methane being thrown into the atmosphere for decades. The regulator rubber stamps pollution exceptions to allow sites to continue doing it. Crypto miners can and are cleaning that up, since they have a simple usage converting that gas to energy with a simple catalytic converter. Low infrastructure, light weight, and doesnt even need much of an internet connection compared to a data center.
- reaperducer 5y agoFrom what I've read in newspapers over the last year or so, now that satellites allow methane and other discharges to be detected and investigated by entities outside of Texas (both American and international), the biggest polluters are getting out of the game. Up to now, whenever there's been a big discharge, the suspected polluter would say, "Well, it was next to our pipeline, and it's the sort of stuff we have in our pipeline, and it happened when we were working on our pipeline, but there's no proof that it was us." And the Texas regulators would say, "Sounds good to us!" Now outside eyes are watching, including government agencies downwind in New Mexico, and as the detection technology becomes more refined, it will be harder and harder for polluters to wriggle out of it.
- vmception 5y agoYes, I could see that. The regulator especially but also all levels of government there are captured by their affinity towards energy production or the industry itself. But they also want to meet their climate goals and it becomes increasingly embarrassing and indefensible. So they just need the profitable option, crypto miners are it.