Intel said Friday it plans to develop new “energy-efficient” semiconductors geared to crypto mining, as the chip giant eyes a bigger role in the fast-growing market.
The company plans to ship a new “blockchain accelerator” later this year, Raja Koduri, general manager of Intel’s accelerated computing systems and graphics group, said in a blog post.
Intel said it has already signed major customers, including Block, the fintech firm previously known as Square, which has pivoted sharply to crypto.
Intel’s focus on energy efficiency underlined growing concerns about the environmental impact of crypto mining.
“We are mindful that some blockchains require an enormous amount of computing power, which unfortunately translates to an immense amount of energy,” Koduri said. “Our customers are asking for scalable and sustainable solutions, which is why we are focusing our efforts on realizing the full potential of blockchain by developing the most energy-efficient computing technologies at scale.”
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE