According to a new report by the Guardian, the revival of a dying coal-powered plant in Montana last year resulted in a huge spike in emissions.
The Hardin generating station, a 115-megawatt coal plant in the southern part of the state, was supposed to close back in 2018, because it wasn't getting enough business. Marathon became the plant's sole customer in late 2020. According to the independent publication, they packed 30,000 units of the special computer called the Antminer S19 in a facility outside.
Anne Hedges, co-director of the Montana Environmental Information Center, told the Guardian that she was horrified to see it all happen.
The plant only operated for 46 days in 2020, but the first nine months of the following year saw 236 busy days. In the second quarter of 2021, 187,000 tons of carbon dioxide were released, a 5000 percent increase over the same period in 2020. In the third quarter, 206,000 tons was emitted, a 905 percent increase.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the plans for the Montana plant back in 2021. Kosovo, located in southeastern Europe, banned all mining of cryptocurrencies in January due to the ongoing energy crisis. The amount of energy used by the mining of the digital currency was more than that of 159 countries.
Despite the numbers, enthusiasts say it is not as bad as it seems. The washing machines in the US use more energy.
He told the Guardian that he understands the desire for some people to point out that the industry is not as bad as they think.
The amount of energy used by some industries is insignificant. Two wrongs don't make a right, and the use of washing machines isn't going to cancel out all the carbon Marathon is emitting into the atmosphere. The problem is only going to get worse because the company's website includes multiple references and statements about future expansions.
Surprise! More on environmental concerns. Companies that promised to hit net-zero emissions are failing.
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