At the beginning of the week, Argentinian President Javier Milei met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Following this meeting, the well-known financial blog ZeroHedge revealed on Thursday (May 8) that Argentina will use natural gas to mine Bitcoin, further confirming Milei's new pro-cryptocurrency position.
On Monday, Musk met with Milei in California, and both made statements during breaks at an economic conference. Musk posted on Twitter that he "had a great meeting with Milei" and later suggested that people should invest in Argentina.
While the full content of the meeting remains unclear, both Milei and Musk have historically expressed strong opinions on protecting free speech, supporting cryptocurrency, capitalism, and deregulated free markets.
Additionally, Milei stated that space exploration was a topic of discussion between the two, and Musk also spoke at length about it during his interview with the Milken Institute.
A subsidiary of Argentina's state-owned energy company YPF, YPF Luz, recently launched a natural gas-powered mining facility in partnership with Genesis Digital Assets (GDA). The facility will monetize natural gas that is currently being released into the atmosphere using 1,200 machines.
GDA estimates that repurposing currently wasted gas can reduce carbon emissions from their mining operations by up to 63%, showcasing how Bitcoin mining can turn energy byproducts into productive use.
GDA co-founder Abdumalik Mirakhmedov said, "This will be another opportunity to show the world that Bitcoin mining can positively impact the environment and fully integrate with local communities."
For YPF Luz, monetizing excess natural gas helps offset costs and promote sustainable development.
For GDA, this translates to competitive energy pricing and reduced carbon emissions. For Argentina, it marks a leading position in strengthening energy infrastructure through Bitcoin mining.
This news reflects how other countries are using Bitcoin mining to "clean up" energy networks.
In addition to Argentina, Bhutan uses renewable hydropower to mine Bitcoin and consume seasonal excess electricity, while El Salvador harnesses geothermal energy for mining without leaving a carbon footprint.
Mirakhmedov believes Argentina's energy resources and favorable regulations are ideal for the facility.
As Bitcoin mining expands globally, projects like those of GDA and YPF offer a template for reducing the burning of excess natural gas through efficient Bitcoin mining.