An Irish dairy farmer has found an unusual way to use the excess energy produced on his farm to mine bitcoins. Tom Campbell, who runs a farm in Northern Ireland, uses the resources of his farm to produce renewable energy in a so-called using an anaerobic digestion process. In the process, the bacteria break down the biodegradable materials, while methane-rich biogas is produced. The resulting gas can be used to generate electricity.
A generated energy Campbell mainly uses it to run his farm, but the amount that he can no longer export to the network, he uses for bitcoin mining. Although running the farm and mining both require a lot of energy, Campbell’s farm can produce up to 700 kWh of energy. This amount would be suitable for supplying nearly 12,000 households.
The Irish government has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. In the country, however, the agricultural sector is responsible for more than 35% of emissions, the primary source of which is livestock farming, including cows. With almost 7.3 million cows living in the country, managing their waste in an environmentally friendly way is key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The anaerobic solution is a promising solution for this. According to some, if 41% of farms used this technology, the energy supply of all households in the country would be ensured.
Campbell’s decision to mine bitcoin may seem unusual, but it makes economic sense. When grid demand is low, miners can use the excess clean energy. This allows Campbell to sell excess electricity to the grid as renewable, green electricity while still profiting from BTC mining.
Although some farmers have expressed concern that meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets might bankrupt them, Campbell’s approach shows that it is possible to find innovative solutions that benefit both the environment and farmers.
As renewable energy sources such as the anaerobic process become increasingly popular, more farmers may turn to mining in the future to utilize their excess energy.
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