Newport Moves to Green Energy While £620M Bitcoin Stays Buried

A landfill site in Newport, Wales, where a man lost a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoin, is set to close in the 2025-26 financial year.

A man's hopes of retrieving 8,000 Bitcoins, currently valued at over £620 million, are fading as the landfill site in Newport where he lost a hard drive containing the cryptocurrency is set to close by 2026.

James Howells has been battling in court for years to try and reclaim his device from the site. He said he accidentally threw the hard drive away in 2013.

The landfill site has been operating since the early 2000s, according to Newport council documents, and is now coming to the end of its operational life.

The council said the site will be closed with final capping operations over the next two years, in line with its planned closure strategy and long term waste management strategy.

The household waste recycling centre to the north of the site will remain open.

Newport set to move to green energy as £620m of Bitcoin remains buried at landfill site A solar farm could be built on part of the former landfill site (Image: Newport City Council)

The closure of the landfill site is set to have an impact on the city's finances, with the council expecting to lose £777,000 in income next year and a further £198,000 the following year.

The council has planning permission to build a solar farm on part of the site in a bid to recoup some of the lost income. Get Cardiff stories straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.

The solar farm, which was approved in August 2024, will provide electricity for the local authority and is set to be operational by the end of next year. The council now has seven electric bin lorries in operation and plans to replace its entire diesel fleet in the coming years.

The subject of Bitcoins that have been lost over the years continues to be of interest in the financial world.

Head of Tether Paolo Ardoino has suggested that advances in quantum computing could eventually allow cryptocurrencies to be accessed from abandoned wallets. Investors may begin selling their assets as access to previously forgotten Bitcoin funds becomes available, putting pressure on Bitcoin prices.

The closure of the landfill site makes it increasingly unlikely that Mr Howells will ever be able to recover his Bitcoins.