NIMBY, or Not In My Back Yard, is a characterization of opposition by residents to proposed developments in their local area, as well as support for strict land use regulations. It carries the connotation that such residents are only opposing the development because it is close to them and that they would tolerate or support it if it were built farther away. The residents are often called Nimbys, and their viewpoint is called Nimbyism. (Wikipedia)
Few of those who like to fly will agree to live near the airport. Stray dogs cause sympathy, but not everyone is ready to live next to a dog shelter. Going to concerts is great, but a rock musician next door is a disaster. Being for all the “good” against all the “bad” is quite natural for a human, but everything “good”, as a rule, has a downside, which is either better not to know about, or to stay away from.
We are ready to accept many things that are happening in the world, especially the gifts of technological progress, but only ”Not In My Back Yard”. We are all a little Nimbys when something "good" can make noise, spoil the view (from the window), put pressure on our psyche and or otherwise disrupt the comfort of our everyday life.
Most agree that renewable energy sources are “good”. Nowadays, when energy consumption issues are so closely linked to climate change issues, renewable energy development is the main trend of developed economies.
The main types of renewable energy sources are nuclear, hydro, solar and wind generation. Atomic power stands apart from the rest, besides, we haven't heard anything about atomic mining yet, so we'll refrain from making forecasts. Hydropower is the most traditional sector, actively developing since the mid-20th century. The use of wind and solar energy has intensified with the advent of the 21st century becoming the main consequence of the carbon neutrality paradigm in light of the climate catastrophe “inevitability”. Wind turbines and solar panels have become a model of everything innovative and “good”, and fossil fuel energy has become a model of everything “bad”. Perhaps, hydropower is the only industry that is not as polarized in the public eye, which continues to work and develop calmly, without harsh discussions.
Wind power
Wind power is very popular as a beautiful picture in a glossy scientific magazine, where wind turbine plantations are slowly turning their blades beyond the horizon. What is the economy of these plantations? Is everything “good" there?
Wind farms are designed for 20-25 years of operation. These are monumental structures that require recycling at their life cycle end. 90% of wind turbines can be recycled, but this does not apply to blades, which contain complex composite materials - a combination of reinforced glass or carbon fibers and a polymer matrix. It increases the turbine performance, improves the blades' aerodynamics, and makes them stronger, lighter and more durable. But what to do with them after they expire?
Do not forget that when equipment carbon neutrality is discussed, it usually refers to operation neutrality. But how neutrally was this equipment produced? After all, most of the emissions are concentrated in raw materials at the production stage, and not at the operation stage. Steel (62%) and aluminum (9%) account for the vast majority of offshore wind farm emissions.
The steel used in the manufacture of wind turbines is still smelted in coal blast furnaces. To reduce harmful emissions in the wind equipment production , it is necessary to switch to environmentally friendly steel produced with renewable hydrogen. Only this will allow wind power to get closer to the nuclear energy neutrality indicators - 11 g/kWh of CO2 emissions (9 g/kWh - nuclear, 450 g - gas, 1000 g - coal). /Research of the Bernstein analytical company/
But point being made here is not only about greenhouse gasses. Wind turbines create strong vibration and noise. Their installation requires a huge area away from human habitat. Returning to the NIMBY principle, it is obvious that everyone agrees to use wind energy, but no one wants to live among wind turbines or even look at them from the back window.
Solar generation
The sun is an unlimited resource, but it only gives energy on a clear day. Solar panels' fields are a much less romantic sight than fields of windmills. In addition, these plantations cause irreparable damage to the ecosystem, since the flora and fauna survival is not taken into account when placing them.
Nevertheless, solar energy is being successfully developed in some locations. For example, in Dubai, it is planned to build a desalination plant that will be powered exclusively by solar energy, producing about 500 million liters of drinking water per day by 2024. There is a plan to turn Washington into the world's first 100% renewable energy city by 2032 by installing solar panels on particularly “toxic” buildings. The leaders in solar energy development are China, the USA, Japan, India, and some European countries.
In solar energy, 27 g of emissions are generated by thermal generation, 44 g by photovoltaic. Solar panels, as well as wind turbines, are designed for about 25 years of service. Afterwards they should also be disposed of. Many components of panels used in solar technology contain rare earth metals, which make disposal extremely difficult. It is not yet possible to replace these materials in production. However, here the NIMBY principle remains central here as well. It is still possible to find people willing to observe windmill plantation work from afar, but no one is willing to live next to a scorched field of solar panels.
Hydropower
The sun shines when it can, the wind blows when it wants, the river always flows. Hydropower, unlike solar and wind, has existed for so long that all the issues of living next to its sources have long been overcome. Hydraulic structures contain a lot of steel and concrete, but they are only built once. The hydroelectric power plant units are designed for up to 50 years of a service life, and they can work 80-100 years with proper maintenance. There are plenty of such examples in the world. Hydroelectric power plants are almost completely carbon-neutral, partly due to such a long operating time.
Interestingly, over the decades of operation, the economic situation around a hydroelectric power plant built "once and for all'' may change, and the situation when its capacity may be excessive is quite common. The hydroelectric power plant location depends on the river around which the infrastructure is being created. The region's economy may change in 3-4 decades, but the energy infrastructure will not go anywhere. In this sense, such hydroelectric power plants become an ideal crypto mining resource, especially if they are located in the northern conditions, where a minimum of energy has to be spent on cooling miners.
In solar energy, 27 g of emissions are generated by thermal generation, 44 g by photovoltaic. Solar panels, as well as wind turbines, are designed for about 25 years of service. Afterwards they should also be disposed of. Many components of panels used in solar technology contain rare earth metals, which make disposal extremely difficult. It is not yet possible to replace these materials in production. However, here the NIMBY principle remains central here as well. It is still possible to find people willing to observe windmill plantation work from afar, but no one is willing to live next to a scorched field of solar panels.
What mining would you prefer in your backyard?
So, the opinion that renewable energy does not harm the environment is very far from the truth. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, aluminum, steel, soil desiccation, air pollution - problems arise both at the production stage and during disposal. This applies more to solar panels and somewhat less to wind turbines. The magnitude of the spread of solar and wind energy contributes to accumulation of these problems, and at the same time the problem of areas that cease to be suitable for anything else is growing.
If we consider energy in relation to mining, then the choice in favor of hydropower and nuclear energy is obvious, since today only they provide an emissions minimum and a competitive electricity price. However, for obvious reasons, atomic mining has not yet become widely prevalent.
Mining at windmills is also still questionable. Mills (like solar panels) are mostly the product of government policy incentives, they are built for rather prosaic needs and are designed to displace coal and gas from the markets. Their task is to provide electricity to industry and the population, not mining farm enthusiasts.
The ideal energy source for mining is the northern hydroelectric power station with excess capacity. Several factors should converge there - a good location (cold), excess capacity, well-educated locals. These three factors are ideal for creating a mining farm. Today such conditions exist only in the North. That is why the Minto project uses the environmentally friendly energy of the North. Our Bitcoin mining is the most eco-friendly, our Bitcoins are the cleanest.
Elon Musk shouldn't have to worry when buying the tokenized hashrate of Minto data centers ($BTCMT tokens), since Bitcoins paid daily as mining rewards are carbon-neutral.
With all due respect to wind and solar energy, The Minto team really wouldn’t like to see wind turbines and solar panels from the window of our office and doesn’t wish this upon anyone. There is a proverb where our hydroelectric power station is located - you can endlessly look at water and someone else’s works. We like to look at our river, and you might like to look at our work, which results in green Bitcoins being mined for you!
