Bitcoin miner MARA buys wind farm in Texas

Bitcoin miner MARA has completed the acquisition of a wind farm in Texas, the company announced in a press release. The wind farm, located in Hansford County, has a rated capacity of 114 megawatts, while the region's power grid can handle up to 240 megawatts. According to MARA, the facility is "100 percent renewable."

"MARA noted that the facility will power the newest generation of ASIC miners, which otherwise would have been written off or sold on the secondary market," MARA's statement said. The purchase was announced back in December of last year. At the time, MARA CEO Fred Thiel said, "This acquisition serves as a blueprint for how energy and the data center industry can work together to create long-term value while expanding renewable initiatives."

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. MARA's overall goal with acquisitions such as this one is to reduce mining's operating costs to "close to zero."

Three months ago, the U.S. miner also made headlines, but then because of Bitcoin purchases. In addition to issues of energy production, Bitcoin miners in the U.S. face further challenges. The Trump administration's trade offensive is making equipment imports from China more difficult.