Jacob Aronoff is based in Portland and is interested in technology, security, and energy issues.
Two years ago, I shared the opinion that the rise in data breaches in Maine was the result of lax oversight and outdated systems. In an increasingly digital world, our daily lives are becoming more vulnerable.
Fast forward to 2026, and the energy grid now faces a similar crisis.
While Maine’s power system faces stress from aging infrastructure, our leaders – the Maine Public Utilities Commission and Governor Janet Mills (who praised the PUC’s rejection of the plan as “outrageous” and “overreach”) – are isolated and lagging behind in meeting the state’s future energy needs.
I just returned from Abu Dhabi and found an unexpected partner in crypto mining. And before you think that the oft-maligned “crypto” businesses are greedy hogs for energy, know that digital mining operations are being explored around the world to stabilize power grids, reduce energy waste, help heat greenhouses, and fund infrastructure needs.
It’s time to analyze other states’ innovations, encourage new businesses, and fund programs before Maine is literally left in the dark.
There are some things I would like to clarify early on. Bitcoin mining is not an AI data center. Data centers require near-constant power, and being turned off means out of service (interruptions, power interference) and continuous stress on the grid.
Bitcoin mining operations are highly flexible and interruptible. Operations can be started and stopped in seconds, minimizing losses. Miners, digital miners of Bitcoin and other assets, are trying to complete a complex probability puzzle, and the only way to do it profitably is by trying to extract the cheapest, most efficient power.
There are many cases where miners use stranded energy that is not available to the general public. What is stranded energy? Stranded energy is power that is available but largely unused, wasted, or even discarded because it is not economically viable to store or store it.
It’s as if your phone is fully charged but still has energy. Cell phones have no way to capture that extra power. An example of this (Maine) is biogenic natural gas and methane stranded in landfills. When organic waste, food, and other materials decompose, they produce methane, the main component of natural gas. In places like Juniper Ridge (Maine’s largest landfill), where natural gas pipeline projects have recently been built, historically this methane has been, or is, flared around the state. It continues to exist elsewhere.
Maine is essentially an energy importing state, meaning we can choose when, how, and where we use our energy. More than 40% of the energy Mainers uses consists of natural gas, but we do not produce any natural gas. So when winter storms arrive, they compete for imported energy, creating bottlenecks in pipelines and impacting prices. This could highlight the state’s energy vulnerabilities and provide incentives to pivot and attract new technologies that generate taxable economic activity to build the clean, renewable future that Maine residents want.
The power efficiency/effectiveness of cryptocurrency mining is not just hype, it is proven. In Texas, where wind power dominates as much as renewable energy does in Maine, miners have harnessed untapped wind energy (about 1.3 terawatt-hours in 2022, for example) and generated millions of dollars in income for farms. During storms and high power demand events like last year’s Winter Storm Heather, miners turned off their servers (think of it as flipping a switch), freeing up power for critical services and helping to stabilize the power grid.
Easy Energy 101 — We (play) grid operators like ISO New England. Regardless of where our energy comes from – natural gas, wind, etc. – electricity must be consumed in real time. Every minute, every moment. Once power is converted to electricity, even the slightest excess demand can lead to power outages and equipment damage.
Wholesale electricity prices can rise depending on demand. This can occur if renewable energy production suddenly decreases (the wind stops after sunset and the sun does not shine) or if pipelines are damaged or frozen in a cold snap. Improving transmission and dynamic energy relationships can solve this problem.
Maine has a unique opportunity to think outside the box and innovatively create our energy future or take advantage of what is already stuck. The main group needs relief through power-ups. It is expected to rise between 10 and 36% from 2024 to 2025. Digital mining and mining operations have the potential to generate enough taxable economic activity to build the necessary infrastructure to reduce national/consumer energy costs.
I urge Maine lawmakers to introduce and pass legislation that would establish a short-term pilot program that would provide competitive electricity rates (with a goal of 4-6 kWh) to qualified crypto mining operations. subsidized only by taxes or federal subsidies generated by mining, with no impact on residential ratepayers). Let’s try it.
