A groundbreaking initiative in Finland is transforming the energy generated from Bitcoin mining into a source of heat for homes during the cold winter months. Hashlabs Mining, a Bitcoin mining infrastructure company, has launched a pioneering project that harnesses heat production from specially designed Bitcoin mining devices. By utilizing the hydro-cooled ASIC mining device, known as the WhatsMiner M63S, the project integrates with Finland’s district heating system, which distributes heat from a centralized source to multiple buildings through insulated pipes. This innovative project aims to allow households to benefit from the energy produced through industrial Bitcoin mining.
Jaran Mellerud, the co-founder of Hashlabs Mining, highlighted the potential for Finland to utilize its nuclear power plant to produce heat with the help of industrial consumers like Bitcoin miners. A local partner of Hashlabs has already successfully integrated two Bitcoin mines with district heating facilities, with a third integration currently underway. The project specifically utilizes the hot water generated from the WhatsMiner M63S mining, which reaches temperatures of up to 70 degrees Celsius. Mellerud stated that Bitcoin mining is the best provider of reliable, high-temperature water for district heating.
The hot water generated by the WhatsMiner devices is expected to replace the heat produced by plants that currently rely on fuels like biomass, peat, hard coal, and other carbon-neutral heat sources. In 2019, the majority of Finland’s district heat was produced using wood fuels (35%) and hard coal (18%), followed by peat (15%), according to data from Statistics Finland.
The concept of utilizing the energy from Bitcoin mining for heating purposes has been gaining traction in recent years. Resourceful Bitcoin miners have found various ways to make Bitcoin mining more environmentally-friendly and sustainable. Some have used the heat generated by mining to warm swimming pools, dehydrate meat for beef jerky, and dry timber. In fact, a bathhouse in New York announced in June 2023 that it was using the byproduct heat from Bitcoin mining rigs to power its facilities.
Overall, this project in Finland represents an innovative and eco-friendly approach to Bitcoin mining, offering households the opportunity to benefit from the heat generated by industrial mining operations.