Original Title: "Democrats Propose the Clean Cloud Act Requiring US Bitcoin Mining Companies and AI Computing Power Centers to Embrace Green Energy: Achieve Zero Carbon Emissions by 2035"

Original author: Joe, Dongqu Dongqu BlockTempo

The U.S. Senate has proposed the Clean Cloud Act of 2025, which requires cryptocurrency mining facilities and AI data centers to gradually eliminate fossil fuels, or face fines, with a goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2035.

This bill was jointly proposed by Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and John Fetterman, aiming to impose strict limits on the carbon emissions of cryptocurrency mining companies and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, and to establish a clear timeline to achieve net-zero emissions before 2035. Facilities that continue to use non-renewable energy will face fines.

Core Mechanism of the Bill: Regional Emission Caps and Annual Reductions

According to the draft, the Clean Cloud Act would amend the current Clean Air Act. In the future, all data centers with more than 100 kilowatts of energy capacity, including cryptocurrency mining farms and AI computing centers, will have to comply with emission caps by region.

These caps will be based on the power zoning in the National Transmission Demand Study published by the U.S. Department of Energy, and different regions will face different emission reduction requirements depending on the energy mix and grid conditions.

The bill requires that emission limits for each region be established by the end of 2025, and thereafter reduced by 11% each year until reaching zero emissions by 2035. Non-compliant companies will be fined based on their excess emissions adjusted for inflation.

It is worth noting that the draft also clearly prohibits companies from passing on the costs of fines to customers, ensuring that companies bear environmental responsibility themselves.

Strict Reporting Obligations and Responsibility Attribution

The bill also requires relevant facilities to submit detailed reports annually, which must include key information such as total electricity consumption and the sources of electricity (the ratio of renewable energy to fossil fuels).

It is worth noting that the draft assigns the responsibility for paying fines to the "tenant of the rented facility" rather than the facility owner. In other words, individuals or businesses that merely rent servers for mining or AI computations may also be required to declare data and bear potential fines, thereby expanding the scope of applicability.

Helps the development of green energy, but also increases pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises.

If the bill is passed, it will encourage cloud service providers and data centers to actively adopt green energy, attracting customers sensitive to environmental regulations. However, it may pose a challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises, as they may lack sufficient resources to cope with the energy transition and compliance costs.

The cryptocurrency mining industry has already shown a green trend

According to statistics at the end of 2024, more than 50% of the energy in the global Bitcoin mining network already comes from renewable energy sources such as hydro, wind, and solar. For example, Iceland, Quebec, Canada, and other regions with abundant and inexpensive green energy have become the first choice for miners.

If the Clean Cloud Act passes smoothly, mining companies and AI computing centers will quickly shift to using renewable energy, while those who do not adapt will face the risk of being eliminated from the market.

Overall, the bill proposes a proactive and stringent emissions reduction timetable, encouraging relevant enterprises to plan for energy transformation as early as possible. However, in the political climate under Trump's administration, considering that he has repeatedly denied the relationship between global warming and carbon emissions, this bill is bound to encounter resistance from the Republicans in Congress (who may believe the bill is too harsh and could stifle innovation, weakening the United States' competitiveness in the cryptocurrency and AI sectors). Ultimately, there remains significant uncertainty about whether it can be passed.

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