- The construction of two immersion-cooled Bitcoin mining sites is underway
- Marathon Digital Holdings and Zero Two are building sites in the UAE
- Immersion cooling makes Bitcoin mining in warm climates possible
A plan is currently underway to construct two cryptocurrency mining facilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which will utilize a complete immersion approach to cooling. Crypto miners typically seek out colder climates for natural cooling, but two companies are working on a way to use cutting-edge cooling technologies to establish what they claim will be a first-of-its-kind Bitcoin mining operation in the Middle East.
Immersion Cooling Removes Geographic Restrictions
The Middle East isn’t the first place you might think of when it comes to a Bitcoin mining farm, but US-based crypto mining company Marathon Digital Holdings and blockchain infrastructure developer Zero Two are working to make this a reality. Normally, the cost of keeping ASIC mining machines cool is an expensive business, hence why places like Iceland and Russia are favored because of their climate.
However, Marathon and Zero Two believe that through immersion technology they can keep their machines ticking over in the desert without incurring excess cost. Immersion cooling is a cutting-edge technology that employs liquids like mineral oil to cool down computers and data centers, including those used for Bitcoin mining. Unlike traditional air-cooling methods, the approach involves submerging the hardware, either partially or entirely, into the liquid medium to absorb heat more effectively. This results in peak performance for computers and data centers, with reduced energy expenses and improved dependability.
Apart from improved thermal efficiency, immersion cooling has other benefits such as lower noise levels and reduced operating costs due to decreased electricity usage. Additionally, since no fans are required with this approach, there is less chance of dust buildup, leading to less maintenance time than air-cooled systems. Ultimately, these advantages can result in significant cost savings over time while enhancing the longevity of hardware components.
Two Sites Planned
Marathon Digital Holdings and Zero Two have agreed a joint venture to develop and operate two sites with a total capacity of 250 megawatts, one located in Masdar City, the sustainability hub of Abu Dhabi, with the other located in the port zone of Mina Zayed. Both sites will be powered with excess energy, thereby increasing the base load and sustainability of Abu Dhabi’s power grid. The two companies intend to offset any non-sustainable energy usage with clean energy certificates.
