比特币采矿发出遍布各州的有害空气污染物：研究揭示

一项新发表的同行评审研究引起了对美国比特币采矿的环境和公共卫生影响的警报

A newly published peer-reviewed study has sounded the alarm over the environmental and public health impact of Bitcoin mining in the U.S., with a focus on the major facilities and the spread of dangerous fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

一项新发表的同行评审研究对美国比特币采矿的环境和公共卫生影响发出了警报，重点是主要设施和危险精细颗粒物的传播（PM2.5）。

According to the research in Nature Communications, emissions from these large-scale mining operations travel far beyond their local environment and ultimately harm millions of Americans in distant states with a key focus on new study in Nature Communications examines the environmental burden of the U.S. bitcoin mining boom. Published on March 26, the study titled “The environmental burden of the United States’ bitcoin mining boom” was led by Dr. Francesca Dominici of Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

根据自然通讯的研究，这些大规模采矿业务的排放远远超出了当地的环境，最终伤害了数以百万计的美国人在遥远的州，关注自然通信的新研究，研究了美国比特币采矿繁荣的环境负担。该研究于3月26日发表，标题为“美国的比特币采矿繁荣的环境负担”，由哈佛大学TH Chan公共卫生学院的Francesca Dominici博士领导。

The study analyzed the top 34 Bitcoin data mining facilities in the U.S. between August 2022 and July 2023, examining their energy consumption, primary energy mix, and spatial footprint.

该研究分析了2022年8月至2023年7月之间美国的前34个比特币数据挖掘设施，研究了它们的能源消耗，主要能源组合和空间足迹。

These 34 facilities, which together process nearly 40% of Bitcoin’s total hash rate, are powered by an average energy mix of 67% fossil fuels, 26% nuclear, 5% hydro, and 2% renewables.

这34个设施共同处理比特币总哈希速率的近40％，由67％化石燃料，26％的核能，5％的水电和2％的可再生能源提供动力。

The researchers used a state-of-the-art atmospheric model to estimate the impact of these facilities’ emissions on ambient PM2.5 concentrations across the U.S. Their findings show that this mining activity is exposing an estimated 1.9 million Americans to elevated levels of PM2.5.

研究人员使用最先进的大气模型来估计这些设施的排放对美国环境PM2.5浓度的影响，他们的发现表明，这种采矿活动正在暴露于大约190万美国人的PM2.5水平。

Key Takeaways:

关键要点：

* A new study in Nature Communications examines the environmental burden of the U.S. bitcoin mining boom.

*一项关于自然通讯的新研究检查了美国比特币采矿繁荣的环境负担。

* The research, led by Dr. Francesca Dominici of Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, analyzed the top 34 Bitcoin data mining facilities in the U.S. between August 2022 and July 2023.

*这项研究由哈佛大学TH Chan公共卫生学院的Francesca Dominici博士领导，分析了2022年8月至2023年7月在美国的前34个比特币数据挖掘设施。

* These facilities, which together process nearly 40% of Bitcoin’s total hash rate, are powered by an average energy mix of 67% fossil fuels, 26% nuclear, 5% hydro, and 2% renewables.

*这些设施共同处理比特币总哈希率的近40％，由67％化石燃料，26％的核能，5％的水力和2％的可再生能源提供动力。

* As a result of this mining activity, researchers estimate that 1.9 million Americans are being exposed to ≥0.5 μg/m³ of additional PM2.5—a key air pollutant—over the course of a year.

*由于这项采矿活动，研究人员估计，在一年的过程中，有190万美国人暴露于≥0.5μg/m³的额外PM2.5（一种主要的空气污染物）。

* This exposure is largely concentrated in New York City, the Houston/Austin corridor, northeast Texas, and parts of the Illinois/Kentucky border, where residents face the greatest impact from Bitcoin mining.

*这种暴露在很大程度上集中在纽约市，休斯顿/奥斯汀走廊，得克萨斯州东北部以及伊利诺伊州/肯塔基州的部分地区，那里的居民面临比特币采矿的最大影响。

* A glaring regulatory blind spot emerges as a consequence, highlighting how state governments lack the authority to regulate pollution originating from out-of-state activities.

*结果出现了一个明显的监管盲点，强调了州政府如何缺乏调节来自州外活动的污染权的权力。

* To mitigate this issue, the study suggests the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could introduce a “Good Neighbor” rule, requiring upwind states to more aggressively curtail power plant emissions.

*为了减轻此问题，研究表明，美国环境保护署（EPA）可以引入“好邻居”规则，要求上风州更积极地减少发电厂的排放。

* This would in turn reduce downstream pollution in downwind states, ultimately lessening the health burden on millions of Americans.

*反过来，这将减少下风州的下游污染，最终减轻了数百万美国人的健康负担。

The researchers, who used a state-of-the-art atmospheric model to quantify the impact of these facilities’ emissions on ambient PM2.5 concentrations across the U.S., estimated that this mining activity is exposing an estimated 1.9 million Americans to elevated levels of PM2.5.

研究人员使用最先进的大气模型来量化这些设施的排放对整个美国环境PM2.5浓度的影响，据估计，这种采矿活动估计将大约190万美国人暴露于PM2.5的升高水平。

This exposure is largely concentrated in New York City, the Houston/Austin corridor, northeast Texas, and parts of the Illinois/Kentucky border, where residents are facing the greatest impact from Bitcoin mining.

这种接触主要集中在纽约市，休斯敦/奥斯汀走廊，德克萨斯州东北部以及伊利诺伊州/肯塔基州的部分地区，那里的居民面临对比特币采矿的最大影响。

However, a glaring regulatory blind spot emerges as a consequence.

但是，因此出现了一个明显的调节盲点。

The report notes that state governments currently lack the authority to regulate pollution that originates from out-of-state activities.

该报告指出，目前，州政府缺乏规范源自州外活动的污染的权力。

This poses a significant obstacle, as the study found that, for instance, residents in Metropolis, Illinois, are being exposed to PM2.5 emissions from a power plant in Kentucky, which in turn supports a Bitcoin mine in North Carolina.

这构成了一个重要的障碍，因为该研究发现，例如，伊利诺伊州大都会的居民正在暴露于肯塔基州的一家发电厂的PM2.5排放中，这反过来又支持北卡罗来纳州的比特币矿山。

In order to mitigate this issue, the study suggests the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could introduce a “Good Neighbor” rule.

为了减轻此问题，研究表明，美国环境保护署（EPA）可以引入“好邻居”规则。

This rule would require upwind states to more aggressively curtail power plant emissions, which would in turn reduce downstream pollution in downwind states and ultimately lessen the health burden on millions of Americans.

该规则将要求上风州更积极地减少发电厂的排放，这反过来又减少了下游州的下游污染，并最终减轻了数百万美国人的健康负担。

The study also delves into the economic implications of Bitcoin mining in the U.S.

该研究还深入研究了美国比特币采矿的经济影响

It highlights the significant role of the government in supporting this industry through tax breaks and subsidies for clean energy technologies.

它强调了政府通过税收减免和清洁能源技术的补贴来支持该行业的重要作用。

Moreover, the researchers note that despite the industry’s claims of being rapidly adopting sustainable energy sources, the pace of this transition may be slower than anticipated due to the timelag in reporting and processing data from new mining facilities.

此外，研究人员还指出，尽管该行业声称要迅速采用可持续能源，但由于时间表的报告和处理数据，该过渡的步伐可能比预期的要慢。

This finding is critical for understanding the true scope of the industry’s environmental footprint and the urgency needed in shifting towards more sustainable practices.

这一发现对于理解行业环境足迹的真正范围以及转移更可持续的实践所需的紧迫性至关重要。