Connect with us

Published

on

These machines, known as mining rigs, work round the clock to find new units of cryptocurrency.

Benjamin Hall | CNBC

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a law Tuesday banning certain bitcoin mining operations that run on carbon-based power sources. For the next two years, unless a proof-of-work mining company uses 100% renewable energy, it will not be allowed to expand or renew permits, and new entrants will not be allowed to come online.

“It is the first of its kind in the country,” Hochul said in a legal filing detailing her decision.

The governor added that it was a key step for New York, as the state looks to curb its carbon footprint, by cracking down on mines that use electricity from power plants that burn fossil fuels. The law also comes as the crypto industry reels from the implosion of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX, which was once one of the most popular and trusted names in the industry.

Can crypto clean up its dirty image?

New York’s mining law, which passed the state assembly in late April and the state senate in June, calls for a two-year moratorium on certain cryptocurrency mining operations which use proof-of-work authentication methods to validate blockchain transactions. Proof-of-work mining, which requires sophisticated gear and a lot of electricity, is used to create bitcoin, among other tokens.

Industry insiders tell CNBC it could have a domino effect across the U.S., which is currently at the forefront of the global bitcoin mining industry, accounting for 38% of the world’s miners.

“The approval will set a dangerous precedent in determining who may or may not use power in New York State,” the Chamber of Digital Commerce wrote in a statement.

Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC Pro

It is a sentiment echoed by Kevin Zhang of digital currency company Foundry.

“Not only is it a clear signal that New York is closed for business to bitcoin miners, it sets a dangerous precedent for singling out a particular industry to ban from energy usage,” said Zhang, Foundry’s senior vice president of mining strategy.

The net effect of this, according to Perianne Boring of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, would weaken New York’s economy by forcing businesses to take jobs elsewhere.

“This is a significant setback for the state and will stifle its future as a leader in technology and global financial services. More importantly, this decision will eliminate critical union jobs and further disenfranchise financial access to the many underbanked populations living in the Empire State,” Boring previously told CNBC.

As for timing, the law took effect after governor signed off.

Chamber of Digital Commerce explains effects of Terra turmoil on consumer protection

The irony of banning bitcoin mining

One section of the law involves conducting a statewide study of the environmental impact of proof-of-work mining operations on New York’s ability to reach aggressive climate goals set under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which requires New York’s greenhouse gas emissions be cut by 85% by 2050.

Boring tells CNBC the recent swell of support for the ban is related to this mandate to transition to sustainable energy.

“Proof-of-work mining has the potential to lead the global transition to more sustainable energy,” Boring told CNBC’s Crypto World, pointing to the irony of the moratorium. “The bitcoin mining industry is actually leading in terms of compliance with that Act.”

The sustainable energy mix of the global bitcoin mining industry today is estimated to be just under 60%, and the Chamber of Digital Commerce has found that the sustainable electricity mix is closer to 80% for its members mining in the state of New York.

“The regulatory environment in New York will not only halt their target – carbon-based fuel proof of work mining – but will also likely discourage new, renewable-based miners from doing business with the state due to the possibility of more regulatory creep,” said John Warren, CEO of institutional-grade bitcoin mining company GEM Mining.

A third of New York’s in-state generation comes from renewables, according to the latest available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. New York counts its nuclear power plants toward its 100% carbon free electricity goal, and the state produces more hydroelectric power than any other state east of the Rocky Mountains.

The state also has a chilly climate, which means less energy is needed to cool down the banks of computers used in crypto mining, as well as a lot of abandoned industrial infrastructure that’s ripe for repurposing. 

At the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami in April, former presidential candidate and New Yorker Andrew Yang told CNBC that when he speaks to people in the industry, he has found mining operations can help develop demand for renewable energy.

“In my mind, a lot of this stuff is going to end up pushing activity to other places that might not achieve the goal of the policymakers,” said Yang.

Andrew Yang explains how crypto and a universal basic income could intersect

Some in the industry aren’t waiting for the state to make a ban official before taking action.

Earlier this year, data from digital currency company Foundry showed New York’s share of the bitcoin mining network dropped from 20% to 10% in a matter of months, as miners began migrating to more crypto-friendly jurisdictions in other parts of the country.

“Our customers are being scared off from investing in New York state,” said Foundry’s Zhang.

“Even from Foundry’s deployments of $500 million in capital towards mining equipment, less than 5% has gone to New York because of the unfriendly political landscape,” continued Zhang.

The domino effect

Now that the crypto mining moratorium has been signed into law by the governor, it could have a number of follow-on effects.

Beyond potentially stifling investment in more sustainable energy sources, industry advocates tell CNBC that each of these facilities drives significant economic impact with many local vendors consisting of electricians, engineers, and construction workers. An exodus of crypto miners, according to experts, could translate to jobs and tax dollars moving out of state.

“There are many labor unions who are against this bill because it could have dire economic consequences,” said Boring. “Bitcoin mining operations are providing high-paying and high-grade, great jobs for local communities. One of our members, their average pay is $80,000 a year.”

Hochul addressed some of these concerns in her statement on Tuesday, noting that she recognized the important of “creating economic opportunity in communities that have been left behind” and that she will “continue to invest in economic development projects that create the jobs of the future.”

As Boring points out, New York is a leader when it comes to state legislation, so there is also the potential for a copycat phenomenon rippling across the country.

“Other blue states often follow the lead of New York state and this would be giving them an easy template to replicate,” said Foundry’s Zhang.

“Sure, the network will be fine — it survived a nation-state attack from China last summer — but the implications for where the technology will scale and develop in the future are massive,” continued Zhang.

However, many others in the industry think concerns over the fallout of a mining moratorium in New York are overblown.

Multiple miners told CNBC there are plenty of friendlier jurisdictions: Georgia, North Carolina, North Dakota, Texas and Wyoming have all become major mining destinations.

Texas, for example, has crypto-friendly lawmakers, a deregulated power grid with real-time spot pricing, and access to significant excess renewable energy, as well as stranded or flared natural gas. The state’s regulatory friendliness toward miners also makes the industry very predictable, according to Alex Brammer of Luxor Mining, a cryptocurrency pool built for advanced miners.

“It is a very attractive environment for miners to deploy large amounts of capital in,” he said. “The sheer number of land deals and power purchase agreements that are in various stages of negotiation is enormous.”

FTX heads to a Delaware courtroom as the biggest crypto bankruptcy case yet gets underway

Continue Reading

Environment

US wind growth picks up speed as power demand surges

Published

on

By

US wind growth picks up speed as power demand surges

After a sluggish stretch, US wind is heading into a pivotal moment, with a near-term rebound colliding with rising power demand, tariffs, and stubborn permitting bottlenecks.

US wind power: the next five years

The US is expected to add more than 7 gigawatts (GW) of new wind capacity in 2025, a 36% increase from this year, according to the latest US Wind Energy Monitor report from Wood Mackenzie and the American Clean Power Association (ACP).

That matters now because the US power grid is under mounting pressure, just as new generation has become harder to build. Electricity demand is rising for the first time in years, mainly driven by data centers and other large loads, while wind developers are navigating higher turbine costs, tariff uncertainty, and permitting delays. How quickly projects can move from the pipeline to completion over the next few years will shape whether wind can help keep the lights on and power prices in check.

Over the longer term, the outlook is steady but increasingly back‑loaded. The report still sees 46 GW of new wind capacity coming online between 2025 and 2029. What has changed is timing. More projects are now expected to reach completion in the middle of the decade, with 2026 and 2027 shaping up to be especially busy years at 10.7 GW and 12.7 GW, respectively, as projects move through the development pipeline.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

That shift helps explain why installations lagged earlier this year. Wind additions in Q3 came in at 932 megawatts (MW), about 23% below forecasts. But activity is picking up fast. Developers have about 3.8 GW queued for Q4 2025 alone, which would account for 52% of the year’s total expected capacity. That kind of late-year rush is typical for wind projects, which tend to reach completion toward the end of the calendar year.

There are also signs of life on the manufacturing side. US turbine order intake rebounded in Q3 to pre–Trump’s big bill act levels, with more than 2 GW of firm commitments, the strongest quarter in the past nine months, and a 79% jump from the previous quarter. But you wouldn’t know it, because turbine makers are increasingly keeping project details close to their chests, and much of the qualifying “start-of-construction” activity is happening off-site through component manufacturing.

Looking further out, the report flags a noticeable slowdown toward the end of the decade. Capacity additions in 2029 are expected to drop sharply following project cancellations and inactive designations, largely due to permitting challenges and broader development constraints.

Power demand takes off

At the same time, the need for new power is growing fast.

After a decade of mostly flat electricity demand, US power demand is now expected to grow by around 3% per year through 2029, compared to just 0.7% over the previous decade. Data centers alone are expected to drive about 59 GW of the roughly 90 GW increase in peak demand. That kind of round-the-clock load makes more wind power a necessity.

“The US power market is facing mounting strain after a decade of flat demand, with utilities committing to 160 GW of large-load additions,” said Leila Garcia da Fonseca, Wood Mackenzie’s director of research. “This represents a significant opportunity for wind energy, which benefits from strengthened economic fundamentals and a compelling business case driven by its competitively low LCOE.”

But she also warned that higher turbine costs and policy uncertainty could slow down progress in the middle of the decade.

Onshore wind: Western states lead

Onshore wind continues to do the heavy lifting. The five-year onshore outlook remains unchanged at 39.8 GW of new capacity, and the 2025–2027 pipeline already has turbine orders in place for every project. More than 60% of that three-year capacity has either been commissioned or is already under construction.

Western states are leading the charge. Wyoming, New Mexico, and neighboring states are expected to account for about 34% of onshore activity over that period. Big projects are driving the numbers, including Pattern Energy’s 3.5 GW SunZia project in New Mexico, which is set to make the company the top wind installer in 2026, and Invenergy’s 998 MW Towner Energy Center in Colorado, the single largest project expected to come online in 2027.

Wind is also spreading into new territory. Arkansas recently brought its first utility-scale onshore wind farm online with Cordelio’s Crossover Wind (pictured).

Repowering older wind farms remains another bright spot. Wood Mackenzie expects 18 repowering projects to add about 2.5 GW of capacity over the next three years.

Offshore wind: progress, but pressure

Offshore wind is a different story. Wood Mackenzie expects offshore installations to slow in Q4 2025 due to harsh winter weather, pushing some capacity into 2026. Still, projects already under construction are making progress. Vineyard Wind connected 15 turbines in Q3 and delivered 200 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity over the first nine months of the year.

“US offshore wind shows diverging momentum,” Garcia da Fonseca said. “Projects under construction with commercial operation dates in 2026 continue to hit key milestones, but post-2027 developments face potential delays amid constrained wind turbine installation vessel capacity, driving delays and contract terminations.”

The offshore sector is also under growing financial strain – and let’s not forget political attack from the Trump administration – with delays and contract terminations weighing on late-decade projects.

Tariffs are making turbines more expensive

Tariffs remain one of the biggest wild cards for the US wind industry. Wood Mackenzie expects tariffs to push turbine costs higher in 2026 before easing in later years. Overall, US onshore wind capital spending is projected to rise by about 5% through 2029.

“US wind turbine pricing is experiencing unprecedented uncertainty as conflicting market and regulatory forces interact,” said Garcia da Fonseca. While domestic manufacturing capacity could eventually bring prices down, tariffs on raw materials and key components are expected to keep costs elevated in the near term.

Read more: Federal judge rules Trump’s offshore wind ban illegal


If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!

Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Lucid (LCID) reassures investors on growth plans after its stock hits a new low

Published

on

By

Lucid (LCID) reassures investors on growth plans after its stock hits a new low

After Lucid Group’s (LCID) stock price reached a new all-time low this week, the company’s communication boss is out to set the record straight.

Lucid stock hits a new low as investors wait

Lucid is facing new headwinds in the US at a critical time as the EV maker looks to enter its next growth phase. It’s ramping up output of its first electric SUV, the Gravity, and is set to launch its midsize platform in late 2026.

Like all automakers, the company is facing new headwinds in the US under the Trump administration, but that isn’t stopping Lucid from continuing on its mission of “changing the world through innovation and efficiency.”

Lucid’s head of communications, Nick Twork, reassured investors on Thursday that while others are pulling back, the company is still plowing ahead.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

“We know it’s been a challenging period for our long-term holders,” Twork said, adding, “We are focused on execution and being transparent.” Twork reaffirmed investors that Lucid has “a strong liquidity runway,” including a $2 billion PIF credit facility, and another $2 billion in refinanced convertible notes that now mature in 2030/31.

While other automakers are scaling back EV plans, including Ford most recently, “we’re building through it and ramping,” Lucid’s communications boss said.

After a magnet shortage and other supply chain constraints hampered Gravity production early on, Lucid now expects the electric SUV to make up the majority of production and deliveries in the fourth quarter.

Speaking at the 53rd Annual Nasdaq Investor Conference last week, Lucid’s interim CEO, Marc Winterhoff, said the company “is on track” to hit its guidance of producing 18,000 vehicles this year. That’s at the lower end of its initial 20,000 to 18,000 target, but Winterhoff said output is picking up and Lucid now has “weeks where we are producing 1,000 vehicles” in a single week.”

Lucid-stock-Q3-earnings
Lucid Q3 2025 production and deliveries (Source: Lucid Group)

Hitting that 18,000 target won’t be easy. Through the third quarter, Lucid produced 9,966 EVs, meaning it will need to build over 8,000 more in Q4. That’s more than double the 3,891 it made in the third quarter.

Lucid had about $4.2 billion in liquidity at the end of Q3, but after agreeing with PIF to increase the delayed draw term loan credit facility (DDTL), the company said total liquidity would have been around $5.5 billion.

Lucid-Q3-2025-earnings
Lucid Q3 2025 earnings (Source: Lucid Group)

The capital is enough to fund it through the first half of 2027, Lucid said. Later next year, Lucid will begin production of its midsize platform, which will underpin at least three new vehicles priced around $50,000.

Lucid’s first midsize model will be an electric crossover SUV, followed by a more rugged version inspired by the Gravity X concept. The third is rumoured to be a midsize sedan that will compete with the Tesla Model 3.

During a fireside chat at the UBS Global Industrials and Transportation Conference earlier this month, Lucid’s CFO, Taoufiq Boussaid, said the midsize EVs will be positioned in “the heart of the market,” starting at around $50,000.

Lucid-LCID-stock-investors
Lucid (LCID) stock price in 2025 compared to Rivian (RIVN) and Tesla (TSLA) Source: TradingView

While Rivian (RIVN) and Tesla (TSLA) shares are trading up by over 50% and 27%, respectively, since the beginning of 2025, Lucid’s stock price has fallen by over 60%. Earlier this week, Lucid’s stock touched an all-time low of $11.09 per share.

Twork said Lucid will share more information about its growth plans during its Capital Market Day in the first quarter.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Jeep is offering up to $16,750 cash back on select 2025 Wagoneer S

Published

on

By

Jeep is offering up to ,750 cash back on select 2025 Wagoneer S

Like a 90s “gifted” kid that was supposed to be a lot of things, the electric Jeep Wagoneer S was supposed to be sporty, luxurious, and appeal to a whole new Jeep buyer. Despite being a decent vehicle, it never really found its place — but now that Jeep is offering nearly $17,000 off select models, it might be time to give the go-fast Wagoneer S a second look.

Whether we’re talking about Mercedes-Benz, Cerberus, Fiat, or even Enzo Ferrari, there have been no shortage of corporate outsiders have labeled Jeep as a potentially premium brand that could, “if managed properly,” command luxury-level prices all over the globe. That hasn’t happened, and Stellantis is just the latest in a long line of companies to sink massive capital into the brand only to realize that people will not, in fact, spend Mercedes money on a Jeep.

“Stellantis bet big on electric versions of iconic American brands like Jeep and Dodge, but consumers aren’t buying the premise,” wrote CDG’s Marcus Amick, back in June. “(Stellantis’ dealer body) is now stuck with expensive EVs that need huge discounts to move, eating into already thin margins while competitors focus on [more] profitable gas-powered vehicles.”

To get its prices back in line with the market’s expectations, Jeep is slashing prices with lots of cash on the hood. That includes a hefty $15,250 incentive on select Wagoneer S trims listed as a “2025 National EV Credit Select Inventory Retail Bonus Cash” offer by Greenville Chrysler in Greenville, Texas — which seems like it would be stackable with $1,500 in National Stellantis Loyalty Retail Bonus Cash as well, for a total of $16,750 in incentives before any additional dealer discounts come into play.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

All of which is to say: if you’ve found yourself drawn to the Jeep Wagoneer S, but couldn’t quite stomach the $70,000+ window stickers, you might want to check in with your local Jeep dealer and see how you feel about it at a JCPenneys-like 30% off!

Original content from Electrek.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending