A U.S. federal judge has placed a temporary block on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) plans to survey major bitcoin mining companies about their energy use.
The DOE aimed to gather data on the rapidly growing energy consumption of Bitcoin mining, which now matches that of a small state. But Texas-based bitcoin mining firms sued to halt the DOE’s emergency order mandating they fill out an “extremely inaccurate” survey.
Judge Alan Albright sided with the mining companies, granting a temporary injunction against the survey over concerns it could reveal confidential data. Albright suggested the DOE overreached in claiming an emergency that jeopardizes public welfare. The DOE argued mining’s carbon footprint and impact on energy costs warranted quick action, but Albright found those rationales unconvincing.
With the survey on ice pending further litigation, the DOE faces significant obstacles in illuminating Bitcoin mining’s ballooning U.S. energy appetite. The clash highlights tensions between Bitcoin’s climate impact and the government’s data-gathering powers. For now, mining’s energy drain remains obscure, stymieing planning for future grid needs.
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