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Some bitcoin mining startups are looking to start providing a strong economic incentive to collect and efficiently burn waste methane that you can't otherwise d
by anonporridge 4y ago
Some bitcoin mining startups are looking to start providing a strong economic incentive to collect and efficiently burn waste methane that you can't otherwise do anything with. Since vented methane eventually degrades into C02 anyway, after decades of 25x more potent warming, this a strong net positive for tackling climate change.
https://www.mswmanagement.com/home/blog/21277137/editors-blog-can-you-mine-bitcoin-on-your-landfill https://www.mswmanagement.com/home/blog/21277137/editors-blo...
In some cases, we can use the stick of regulation to require organizations to efficiently burn their methane at a pure cost to themselves, but that may not work on a global scale in a places with weak governance. But the carrot of profit may be extremely effective at proliferating waste methane burning worldwide.
- andai 4y agoIf methane is a fuel, why is it considered waste and released into the atmosphere? Edit: Oh, here it's literally being released by rotting garbage, the idea is to harvest it.
- anonporridge 4y agoLack of transport infrastructure. When byproduct methane is conveniently located (like in the middle of a city) it often is piped through gas lines to be sold, or a power plant is built on site and connected to the grid. Many landfills already have power plants built on them, https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/california-power-generation-and-power-sources/biomass/landfill-gas-power-plants https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/california-power-gene... The problem is when it is very remotely located, and the amount of gas is far too low to economically justify building out gas pipes or electric transmission lines.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]