Fort Worth, Texas, will soon be the first city government in the United States to mine bitcoin.
A six-month pilot program was approved by a city council vote earlier this week, according to Yahoo! News. The program will be evaluated again in six months.
Fort Worth will maintain three bitcoin mining machines as part of a partnership with the Texas Blockchain Council. These machines, donated by the Texas Blockchain Council, will be located in the Informational Technology Solutions Department Data Center in Fort Worth City Hall.
These mining machines will run will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in a climate-controlled wing. They will be hosted on a private network to minimize security risks. These machines each consume the same amount of energy as a household vacuum cleaner, according to CNBC. The three miners aren't expected to be major money makers, but "the cost of electricity needed for the program is expected to be offset by the value of bitcoin mined," the news outlet reported.
"These small but powerful machines mark Fort Worth’s larger commitment to becoming a leading hub for technology and innovation," Mayor Mattie Parker said.
"By starting small to learn as they go, Fort Worth is positioning itself to be the bitcoin mining capital of Texas," said Texas Blockchain Council President and founder Lee Bratcher.
According to Yahoo! News, the United States has become the "dominant hub" for cryptocurrency miners thanks to its cheap power and mining-friendly legislation.