Solar  -  June 8, 2021

Illinois Cryptocurrency Mining Facility Adds Behind-the-Meter Solar

A cryptocurrency mining facility located in a former steel mill in Illinois will soon be developing a 2-5 MW behind-the-meter solar array as it begins its transition to renewable energy.

Sangha Systems, the developer of the 82 MW facility, signed a letter of intent with AEP OnSite Partners for the installation of the system. The solar panels featuring a blockchain-controlled technology will allow for better tracking of energy generated and used and for monitoring of its grid.

Sangha Systems first began the cryptocurrency mining project in Hennepin, Ill., in 2018 with the hope of shifting the industry to a renewable energy focus.

“We founded Sangha Systems in late 2017 while working in renewable energy law, development and public policy because we recognized that cryptocurrency mining presents a one-of-a-kind energy profile that could expedite the mainstreaming of renewable energy,” Spencer Marr, president and co-founder of Sangha Systems, said in a statement. “We have worked for three years to build a track record of excellence and establish the business profile that would enable us to get a solar deal done in Hennepin. As market analysts and the general public have recently woken up to the energy consumption of mining and the possibility of turning all that demand for electricity into clean energy, we think our thesis has been validated. This is just the start for us.”