Intel announced the launch of its new chip bitcoin mining called Blockscale ASIC. The new chip will focus on energy efficiency and sustainability.
The Blockscale ASIC will ship to select customers in Q3 2022. The chip operates at up to 26J/TH of power efficiency.
Intel will ship the chip separately and not as a full mining rig as is commonly seen.
Intel’s primary focus on energy efficiency
The final Blockscale ASIC product is the result of decades of research and development to increase the energy efficiency of mining. Jose Rios, GM of Blockchain and Business Solutions in Intel’s Accelerated Computing Systems and Graphics Group, said:
“The Intel Blockscale ASIC will play an important role in helping bitcoin mining companies achieve hash rate scaling and sustainability goals for years to come.”
Each Blockscale ASIC device will have a hash rate of up to 580 gigahashes per second (GH/s) and a power efficiency of up to 26 joules per terahash (J/TH).
It will also support up to 256 ICs per chain and on-chip voltage and temperature monitoring capabilities.
As a result, a mining system made up of 256 Intel Blockscale ASIC processors will supposedly produce 148 TH/s while consuming 3860 watts (W).
Now the global market leader, Bitmain’s flagship air-cooled mining system produces 140 TH/s with a power usage of 3010 W, resulting in a power efficiency of 21.5 J/TH.
Some of the companies that have ordered the chip include Argo Blockchain, Block Inc., Hive Blockchain Technologies, and GRIID Infrastructure. The shipment will also have reference hardware and software design to help customers.
Intel made waves in January when it announced plans to exhibit a “low-voltage, energy-efficient bitcoin mining ASIC” at the ISSCC conference.
Previous Intel ASIC studies were presented at the panel, and the corporation announced in the same month that its new device, the Blockscale ASIC, will arrive this year.
