MARA Holdings (formerly Marathon Digital) has announced plans to acquire a wind farm in Hansford County, Texas, to power a sustainable Bitcoin mining data center.
With 240 MW of interconnected capacity and 114 MW of operational wind power, the wind farm will enable MARA to create vertically integrated operations with zero marginal energy costs, according to a company press release.
This agreement marks a strategic shift for MARA, as the company aims to integrate renewable energy into its mining operations, which requires significant computing power. Mining involves solving complex mathematical problems to verify transactions on the Bitcoin (BTC) network and consumes large amounts of energy. The proposed data center would be powered entirely by wind farms, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources and reducing strain on the Texas power grid.
MARA CEO Fred Thiel highlighted the wide-ranging benefits of the acquisition, including lower Bitcoin production costs and the reuse of old mining hardware.
“This acquisition serves as a blueprint for collaboration between our energy and data center sectors to create long-term value while advancing our sustainability efforts,” Thiel said.
ASIC miner lifespan
A key element of this project is MARA's Advanced ASIC Retirement Initiative. The program reuses old ASIC mining machines (specialized hardware used for Bitcoin mining) to extend their operating life and prevent them from being scrapped or sold.
Wind/Solar Power Farms Achieve ROI on Renewable Energy Investments 2.3x Faster When Partnered with Bitcoin Mining Companies
They will use the profits to build more wind/solar capacity and accelerate the energy transition.
Scholars have shown this (Lal et al, Hakimi et al).
MARA is doing it https://t.co/9KbcjAbI6L
— Daniel Batten (@DSBatten) December 3, 2024
These machines run on renewable wind power, creating a cost-effective and environmentally friendly mining model.
This acquisition aligns with MARA's broader sustainability goals as MARA continues to develop a global network of renewable energy-powered data centers. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approval.
