The Energy Information Administration of the USA is considering the possibility of launching a new information gathering campaign on Bitcoin mining.
On July 10th, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the United States announced the possibility of restarting its efforts to investigate Bitcoin mining companies by the end of the year. The announcement came during a webinar held by the agency. The purpose of the meeting was to gather feedback on what types of information should be included in future surveys, the value of already collected data, and considerations in designing future investigations.
The EIA has identified specific challenges in distinguishing monitoring of mining operations from other generic activities. Additionally, mining companies may relocate to areas with lower energy costs, further complicating the collection of accurate data.
Alternative approaches
During the webinar, Lee Bratcher, founder and president of the Texas Blockchain Council, and Jayson Browder, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Marathon Digital, suggested that surveys should include data centers in general, rather than focusing solely on Bitcoin miners.
Margot Paez, co-founder of the Bitcoin Policy Institute, proposed collaborating with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for data collection and anonymization before transmission to the EIA. Representatives from the Digital Energy Council and the Blockchain Association were also present at the webinar.
Previous attempt
Last January, the EIA had announced its intention to initiate a mandatory survey, receiving emergency approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This move sparked legal controversy with the Texas Blockchain Council and Riot Platforms, who contested the lack of prior notice and industry comment period. In February, the matter was suspended, with the EIA agreeing to halt the survey and destroy collected information up to March.
