Bitcoin mining’s hearing in US house questions power usage

A US House hearing on the environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining found the industry to be "deeply concerning", with two main currencies generating as much pollution as 15.5 million cars' emissions. — REUTERS/File Photo

A US House subcommittee hearing on "Cleaning Up Cryptocurrency” and the energy usage of blockchains kicked off Thursday with one representative calling the energy consumption of some Bitcoin mines "deeply concerning.”

The hearing comes as the outsized power consumption of cryptocurrency mining is increasingly questioned by politicians and climate advocates. Mining companies run thousands of computers to solve the calculations that underpin certain cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin and Ethereum.