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In addition to the carbon emissions contributing to the climate crisis, Bitcoin mines are also very loud, often disturbing nearby residents. Due to the massive computing power used during the mining process, the computers generate substantial amounts of heat and must therefore be cooled to avoid damaging the equipment. Cooling systems often involve industrial-grade fans and air conditioning units that—when combined with the constant operation of mining rigs—result in persistent noise. The relentless hum of these machines can extend far beyond the confines of the mining facilities, unfortunately impacting surrounding neighborhoods.
Communities across the South have experienced this unexpected noisy intrusion into their daily lives, as residents from Arkansas to Tennessee report disruptions right outside their homes. For example, residents of Adel, Georgia have been plagued by nonstop noise from Bitcoin mines. The incessant drone of fans and machinery, often louder than the recommended cap of 70 decibels, goes beyond mere inconvenience: prolonged exposure to loud noise can have negative effects on people’s mental and physical well-being, interfering with sleep schedules, increasing stress levels, and contributing to long-term health issues like cardiovascular disease.
Many of CleanSpark’s facilities in Georgia operate with the same loud air-cooling processes. Thus, the Sandersville mine may bring disruptive noise to nearby residents, and students and faculty at the Oconee Fall Line Technical College, a local community college, that is less than half a mile away. CleanSpark’s Norcross mining site utilizes an immersion cooling system that cools computers through submersion in synthetic oil – a process that reduces the amount of energy used and decreases noise pollution by not relying on fans. Though a quieter and more efficient method, it has so far been limited to the smaller 20 MW site in Norcross.
As CleanSpark announces a planned expansion of the Sandersville site—a $145 million deal to double the fleet’s mining capacity for a “massive 150 MW expansion”—there could be more noise and disruption in store for residents.
Communities across the South have experienced this unexpected noisy intrusion into their daily lives, as residents from Arkansas to Tennessee report disruptions right outside their homes. For example, residents of Adel, Georgia have been plagued by nonstop noise from Bitcoin mines. The incessant drone of fans and machinery, often louder than the recommended cap of 70 decibels, goes beyond mere inconvenience: prolonged exposure to loud noise can have negative effects on people’s mental and physical well-being, interfering with sleep schedules, increasing stress levels, and contributing to long-term health issues like cardiovascular disease.
Many of CleanSpark’s facilities in Georgia operate with the same loud air-cooling processes. Thus, the Sandersville mine may bring disruptive noise to nearby residents, and students and faculty at the Oconee Fall Line Technical College, a local community college, that is less than half a mile away. CleanSpark’s Norcross mining site utilizes an immersion cooling system that cools computers through submersion in synthetic oil – a process that reduces the amount of energy used and decreases noise pollution by not relying on fans. Though a quieter and more efficient method, it has so far been limited to the smaller 20 MW site in Norcross.
As CleanSpark announces a planned expansion of the Sandersville site—a $145 million deal to double the fleet’s mining capacity for a “massive 150 MW expansion”—there could be more noise and disruption in store for residents.
https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/research/polluting-bitcoin-mines-come-to-rural-georgia/
