Winter is approaching in Kazakhstan, and the temperature in some areas is already below 0 degrees. Kazakhstan miner Didar said on Twitter that Kazakhstan is facing an increasing power shortage during the winter. As a result, the government of this country may have to impose restrictions on Bitcoin mining to ensure that the people have sufficient electricity. However, it is understood that the winter power shortage in Kazakhstan is already expected. How to properly install and maintain the miner in low-temperature areas has become very important.
Due to China’s new anti-encryption policy, which forced most large bitcoin miners to move to compliant countries with sufficient clean energy supplies, Kazakhstan’s share of bitcoin mining in April this year increased sixfold. As a result, this Central American country ranks third in terms of Bitcoin mining share, second only to the United States and China. On the other hand, China has the most significant Bitcoin mining market share, with over 75% market dominance. Still, this share dropped sharply after April, and many people believe that most miners have moved to other countries.
After the withdrawal of Chinese miners, the hash rate of the Bitcoin network plummeted by half, and it has now returned to the level before the Chinese crackdown, indicating that most miners have restarted mining operations.
But in countries with legal Bitcoin mining operations, power crises have become the norm, and Iran faces a similar crisis in the first quarter of 2021. The Iranian government has legalized the country’s Bitcoin mining to help the country’s declining economy and fight trade sanctions. However, the government soon realized that illegal miners were mining limited energy resources, causing several power outages. Therefore, the government announced a temporary ban on Bitcoin mining before September 22 to ensure sufficient electricity supply throughout the harsh summer.
In early September, President Tokayev of Kazakhstan pointed out in his annual State of the Union address that today’s world is developing towards the colocalization of industry and economy. It is no longer a simple concept but a concrete solution in taxes, tariffs, and technical adjustment measures. These will also directly impact the country’s development through export, investment, and technology transfer, and Kazakhstan cannot stay aloof. It is no exaggeration to say that this is an issue related to the sustainable development of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has put forward the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, and this work should be promoted pragmatically.
Tokayev pointed out that Kazakhstan’s population and economic development are both showing an increasing trend. To achieve high-quality development, energy must be inseparable. As the coal age comes to an end, in addition to renewable energy, it is necessary to consider the development of other reliable power sources. The experience of countries in the world also shows that the development of nuclear power is the best way to solve the power shortage.
He emphasized that the development of nuclear power is not a trivial matter, so it is necessary to look at this issue as rationally as possible. The government and the Samkru-Kazena National Fund should conduct a feasibility study on developing safe and environmentally friendly nuclear energy technologies in Kazakhstan within one year. This issue must be considered from the perspective of developing nuclear energy engineering technology and cultivating a new generation of high-quality talents in the field of nuclear energy.
Finally, I have also compiled the most effective measures for solving the power shortage at present: First, state-owned power companies should have the courage to assume social responsibility, improve efficiency, reduce costs, reduce expenditures, ensure supply, give full play to the state-owned economy and play a primary role in the construction of the socialist economy.
Second, vigorously develop other power resources, including hydropower, wind power, solar energy, and nuclear power, to effectively increase power supply and alleviate power shortages. Third, make full use of the price mechanism, and with the help of industrial planning, taxation, capital, environmental assessment and other means to curb the growth momentum of high-energy-consuming industries and curb the expansion of electricity demand. In addition, in response to the national energy conservation and consumption reduction policy, all localities and departments should take adequate measures to promote nationwide power saving, reduce unnecessary power consumption, and reduce power waste.
