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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Riot Platforms is leading the polluting Bitcoin boom in Texas. The company operates the largest, and one of most energy and carbon-intensive, Bitcoin mines in the U.S. at their Rockdale facility and now plans to build an even bigger and dirtier mine in Corsicana. An aerial view of the Riot Bitcoin mining facility in Rockdale, Texas.Riot’s Rockdale Facility has a total power capacity of 750 MW, with 450 MW currently developed. This facility is believed to be the largest single facility, as measured by developed capacity, in North America for Bitcoin mining. The Rockdale Facility is currently undergoing a substantial expansion project that is nearly doubling the site’s Bitcoin mining capacity to 700 MW. This expansion includes four new buildings, totaling approximately 240,000 sq ft. and adding 400 MW of capacity. Once this expansion is complete, it is expected that Riot’s Rockdale Facility will be the largest Bitcoin mining facility in the world, as measured by developed capacity.Bitcoin mining operations in Rockdale, Texas.Bitdeer – a firm spun off from Chinese bitcoin mining giant Bitmain – is four-tenths of a mile down the road from Riot Blockchain, one of the biggest publicly traded mining companies in America. Both are tenants of property once occupied by aluminum maker Alcoa.Summary Riot Platforms is leading the polluting Bitcoin boom in Texas. The company operates the largest, and one of most energy and carbon-intensive, Bitcoin mines in the U.S. at their Rockdale facility and now plans to build an even bigger and dirtier mine in Corsicana. Riot’s massive fossil fuel-generated energy use contributes to the climate crisis, while the company also profits from extreme weather. During heatwaves and cold snaps, Riot makes millions of dollars by simply doing nothing and selling energy back to the grid – often more than they earn mining Bitcoin. Texans are footing the bill with higher energy prices due to increased electricity demand from Riot, and tax incentives and subsidies going to Riot and other Bitcoin miners. Big financial companies including BlackRock, JP Morgan Chase, and Vanguard are helping bankroll Riot’s carbon emissions and water consumption. Introduction As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas, including Bitcoin mines. And that means big carbon emissions. Texas has become a hub for Bitcoin mining and since 2021, 2,234 megawatts (MW) of Bitcoin mining facilities have been built in the state by around 30 companies. [1] Standing out in this Bitcoin boom is Riot Platforms’ sprawling facility near Rockdale, Texas that is estimated to be the most energy and carbon-intensive Bitcoin mine in the U.S. [2] Riot now plans to grow that facility and while building an even bigger mine in the state, one that could be the largest in the world. This all means even more carbon emissions and local air, water, and noise pollution. [3] Through its large Texas operations, Riot, a publicly traded company based in Castle Rock, Colorado, has grown into one of the largest Bitcoin mining companies in the U.S. Riot’s facilities also rely primarily on fossil
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