Norway’s government is contemplating a temporary ban on cryptocurrency mining to alleviate energy supply concerns. The investigation will assess the energy consumption of crypto mining data centers and could see a ban implemented as early as autumn. The government has the authority to impose such restrictions under the Planning and Building Act. Rising electricity costs, exacerbated by geopolitical issues such as the war in Ukraine, have driven the need for this consideration. Furthermore, there have been previous local complaints regarding noise generated by mining operations. This potential ban aligns Norway with other nations, such as Russia and China, that have also taken measures against crypto mining due to energy constraints. In the U.S., while there are growing concerns about energy use, crypto mining continues to be legal in most areas, contributing significantly to the global Bitcoin hashrate.

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