New state law could power cryptomining, data centers in New Hampshire

A new state law signed earlier this month by Gov. Kelly Ayotte allows for off-grid energy providers in New Hampshire, part of a larger Republican-backed effort to make the state more attractive to the cryptocurrency industry.

These off-grid providers, which would operate independently from the state’s energy grid, could connect directly to specific buyers while bypassing regulations related to pricing and renewables

Noah Berman, senior policy advocate and utility innovation program manager at the energy think tank Acadia Center, said the law could protect consumers from energy price spikes which usually follow when power-hungry businesses come into town.

“This could potentially reduce demand if facilities choose to go this direction, but I don’t think in the short term there are any realistic residential price impacts,” Berman said.

Other states, including Texas and Ohio, are having to deal with those price spikes retroactively, attempting to come up with ways to reduce the impact of data centers on their grids.

Protection from such spikes would only materialize if this law gets widely used by the industry, which, on the flip-side, could also introduce new challenges, Berman said. He is worried about what New Hampshire’s new law could mean for renewable energy goals, since off-grid providers would not be required to meet state renewable energy standards.

“The environmental impacts would be quite negative if this pathway gets significant uptake in such a way that, for instance, brings many new diesel generators online all around the state,” Berman said.

To read the full article from New Hampshire Public Radio, click here.