Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. has launched a 280 kW Bitcoin mining pilot project in Utah, exclusively powered by landfill methane gas, through a partnership with Nodal Power, a renewable energy company with expertise in biogas.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that municipal solid waste emissions, responsible for about 14.3% of U.S. methane emissions in 2021, represent an untapped energy resource.
Marathon's initiative aims to validate the capture of landfill methane emissions for electricity generation to power Bitcoin mining operations, potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions and utilizing a renewable, off-grid energy source.
Fred Thiel, Marathon's Chairman and CEO, explained, Marathon is exploring ways to diversify operations, reduce energy costs, and leverage Bitcoin mining's unique attributes, aiming to use landfill methane as a productive source of energy.
If the pilot succeeds, the company plans to expand this environmentally-focused approach.