Majority in Parliament will investigate a ban on cryptocurrency mining – E24

A majority in Parliament forces the government to investigate the ban on cryptocurrency mining in Norway.

-We can't waste valuable Norwegian hydropower on cryptocurrencies. We must use this power to cut emissions and create jobs in green energy, SV's Lars Hultbrecken tells NTB.

Along with an unusual constellation in Parliament, he is part of the majority that is forcing the government to investigate a ban on cryptocurrency mining within the national budget this fall.

– For the Conservative Party, the ban on one industry has not yet ended, but in this case we believe it is necessary to investigate the ban. Cryptocurrency mining consumes a lot of energy, and we are heading towards an energy shortage. “We need energy for other purposes,” says Heuer's Nikolai Astrup.

Historical cooperation

The joint proposal includes SV, Høyre, Frp, MDG, Rødt, KrF and Patient Focus. Together they have a majority with only one representative.

“This consultation may be historic,” Astrup says with a laugh.

Irene Ojala, parliamentary representative of Patient Focus, confirms that the same parties have not been able to find a majority together before. As for patient-centeredness, it's important to care about nature, she says.

– Building data centers for cryptocurrency mining requires intensive land use. It also makes it expensive for residents who have much higher electricity bills. Plus, you don't know anything about the positive consequences at all, Ojala says.

MDG's Une Bastholm also doesn't want to sacrifice nature for data centers that mine cryptocurrencies.

This type of energy waste means more damage to nature, poor energy security, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. “I am very happy that so many parties now see this problem and want to help investigate the ban,” she says.

– The government is oversold

In April, it entered the government VG They said they would close the door to cryptocurrency mining in Norway. But the majority in Parliament believes that the government's measures are too weak.

– The government announced that it wanted an overview of what data centers do, as if it were a ban. it's not like that. Then we should demand an investigation into a proper ban on cryptocurrency mining, says Rødt's Sophie Marhaug.

– They oversold it and said there would be a ban. No, there would be an order to register and tell you what to do, and then it would be left up to municipalities to decide yes or no, Haltbrecken says.

Energy deficit

Cryptocurrency is extracted through what is called “mining”, often in large data centers that use a lot of energy. Last year, Dagsavisen wrote that the electricity consumption of cryptocurrency factories in northern Norway alone roughly corresponds to the total annual electricity consumption of the Lofoten region.

Kjell Ingolf Robstad of KrF points out that we are heading towards an energy shortage.

– Then you have to set priorities. If we want to prioritize something, it is quite clear to KrF that cryptocurrency represents very little added value in Norway. Perhaps on the contrary, says NTB.

Terry Haliland from FRP votes for:

The scarcity of power is what brought us to this situation. We have always had the view that those who want power in Norway must be offered power. Now when we are in this situation, we want to investigate whether it is possible to keep the cryptocurrency out. “I'm looking forward to what the government comes up with,” Haleland says.