Texas Bitcoin Mine: A Hot Spot from Space

High above, a heat-seeking satellite has captured a striking image of a massive Bitcoin mining facility in Rockdale, Texas. This facility, one of the largest in the U. S. , is known for its enormous energy appetite, consuming as much power as 300, 000 homes. The satellite, operated by a U. K. -based company, has revealed the thermal footprint of the facility, showing how much heat it leaks into the environment. The image, taken before the satellite's failure in December 2023, offers a unique perspective on the facility's operations. It shows which parts of the facility are active and which are not, providing valuable insights into its energy use. This information could help regulators and grid operators better understand the impact of such facilities on the environment and local power networks.The satellite's thermal camera is among the best in the world, offering a resolution that is an order of magnitude better than other temperature-measuring devices in orbit. This technology has been used to capture other interesting heat patterns, such as the heat trails behind locomotives and the spread of heat from large parking lots. The company behind the satellite plans to launch a replacement satellite next year and is already building another one. They believe that thermal data provides an objective view of operational activity, helping to track the evolution of major data center sites in real time.