US government targets crypto mining energy use in new data initiative
The U.S. government has announced a new initiative to keep tabs on the energy consumption of cryptocurrency mining operations. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) will soon embark on a data-gathering mission, engaging directly with commercial crypto miners to gather comprehensive details regarding their energy usage. Starting next week, this exercise aims to highlight the evolving energy patterns related to crypto mining , pinpoint areas of concentrated growth, and shed light on the energy sources underpinning this digital asset creation. Authorized under an urgent data collection directive by the White House Office of Management and Budget, this initiative stems from heightened attention to the environmental impacts of crypto mining. Joe DeCarolis, the EIA Administrator, emphasized the significance of this inquiry, stating that understanding how the energy demand for cryptocurrency mining is changing and identifying regions with rapid expansion will be amongst the agen...