SpaceX has asked US regulators to approve a new satellite system that would act like a large, space-based computing network. Several outlets report that SpaceX filed a request with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for an “orbital data center” constellation. This could include up to one million satellites in low Earth orbit, powered mainly by solar energy and connected using laser links.
The idea is simple. Instead of building more data centers on land, SpaceX would place computing hardware in orbit and run it on sunlight. The system would then handle heavy computing tasks, including AI workloads, without drawing electricity from local grids on Earth.
AI Is Pushing Power Systems to the Edge
The scale is what makes the proposal unusual. Today, there are roughly 15,000 satellites in orbit, and reports say more than 9,600 are active Starlink satellites. A one-million-satellite “data center” network would be far larger than anything proposed so far.
However, the “one million” figure appears in reporting tied to the FCC filing, but regulators have not yet approved the plan. Several analysts and engineers quoted in coverage also treat the number as a maximum request, not a final build plan.
The FCC filing stated:
“By directly harnessing near constant solar power with little operating or maintenance costs, these satellites will achieve transformative cost and energy efficiency while significantly reducing the environmental impact associated with terrestrial data centers.”
SpaceX’s proposal arrives during a period of fast growth in computing demand. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that data centers consumed about 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024. This is roughly 1.5% of global electricity use. Demand has grown by around 12% each year for the last five years.
Older IEA work also highlighted how quickly demand can rise. One IEA scenario noted that data centers consumed 460 TWh in 2022. In a worst-case situation, this could exceed 1,000 TWh by 2026. The increase depends on trends in AI, crypto, and efficiency.

This demand growth has significant effects on power systems. Utilities, cities, and local communities often push back when new large data centers arrive. The concerns include higher power demand, water use for cooling, and land use. Thus, SpaceX and Elon Musk have framed space-based computing as a way to reduce pressure on Earth’s power grids.
That is where renewables enter the story. Globally, clean energy investment is already rising fast. The IEA said total global energy investment exceeded US$ 3 trillion in 2024, with around US$ 2 trillion going to clean energy technologies and infrastructure. BloombergNEF reported that clean energy investment reached $2.3 trillion in 2025.
Why Space Looks Tempting for Energy-Hungry AI
Space has one obvious advantage: sunlight is steady above the clouds. Solar panels in orbit can receive strong sunlight for long periods, depending on their orbit and design.
SpaceX’s pitch, as described in reporting, leans on that idea: a solar-powered platform in orbit could run without fuel deliveries and without drawing power from Earth’s grid.

Orbital compute could also reduce “latency” for some tasks in theory. If a user needs fast responses across large regions, satellites can route data without depending on ground networks in certain cases. SpaceX already uses laser links across Starlink satellites for routing. That experience may be part of the logic for a computing-focused network.
Space also avoids some land-based constraints. On Earth, data centers need large sites, grid connections, and cooling systems. SpaceX and supporters argue that orbit may reduce some land and water issues, at least in principle.
Recent market analysis shows the orbital data center market is set for quick growth. This is due to the rising demand for AI computing and energy limits on Earth. Analysts expect the orbital data center market to rise from around US$ 1.77 billion in 2029 to nearly US$ 39.1 billion by 2035, a compound annual growth rate of about 67.4%.

The surge comes from several factors. These include prototype satellite launches, solar-powered compute ideas, and interest from companies like Google, Nvidia, and SpaceX.
However, the advantages offered by space do not remove the biggest engineering problems.
The Hard Parts: Physics, Maintenance, and the Messy Reality of Orbit
A major challenge for computers in space is waste heat. Computer chips turn much of their electricity into heat. On Earth, air and water systems carry heat away. In space, there is no air. Objects mainly lose heat through radiation, which can require large radiator surfaces.
That is why experts have raised doubts and concerns, including:
These constraints do not mean orbital data centers are impossible. But they explain why most experts treat this as an early-stage concept rather than a near-term build plan.
A Signal of Stress in the AI–Energy Equation
Even if SpaceX never launches a million satellites, the proposal highlights a key issue. The AI boom is driving up electricity demand. Energy planners are now looking for new ways to supply and use energy more efficiently.
- SEE MORE: AI Drives a Transformative Wave in Global Data Centers – and Energy Is the Real Bottleneck
The IEA’s data shows the scale of the challenge. With data centers already at about 415 TWh in 2024, even modest growth adds large new loads to power systems.
On the supply side, the global investment trend favors clean energy. The IEA expects clean energy technologies and infrastructure to take over US$ 2 trillion of global investment in 2025, larger than total spending on oil, gas, and coal.

This sets up two parallel paths:
- First, most near-term data center growth will stay on Earth. That means grids, renewables procurement, storage, and efficiency standards will do the bulk of the work.
- Second, a smaller group of companies may test space-based power or computing systems.
Beyond SpaceX, several other firms are exploring solar-powered orbital computing. Starcloud has already launched a satellite with an NVIDIA GPU to test high-performance computing in orbit, backed by seed funding and solar panel grids to power large data loads.
Axiom Space plans to send orbital data center modules to the ISS by 2027, while Google’s Project Suncatcher aims to power AI workloads via solar satellites. China’s ADA Space is developing a constellation of thousands of AI-enabled satellites.
SpaceX’s filing has also drawn attention to other efforts and interest in space-based energy and computing concepts, even if the timelines remain uncertain.
For now, its proposal highlights how quickly the search for new computing and energy models is expanding beyond Earth. Orbital data centers remain early in development, but they reflect growing interest in pairing constant solar power with high-density computing at scale.
As launch costs drop and space technology improves, orbital systems may become a good alternative to ground-based data centers. This is especially true for energy-heavy tasks. The idea signals a longer-term shift in how and where digital infrastructure may be built.
The post Elon Musk’s SpaceX Eyes Solar Data Centers in Space to Power the AI Boom appeared first on Carbon Credits.
Carbon Footprint
Climate Impact Partners Unveils High-Quality Carbon Credits from Sabah Rainforest in Malaysia
The voluntary carbon market is changing. Buyers are no longer focused only on large volumes of cheap credits. Instead, they want projects with strong science, long-term monitoring, and clear proof that carbon has truly been removed from the atmosphere. That shift is drawing more attention to high-integrity, nature-based projects.
One project now gaining that spotlight is the Sabah INFAPRO rainforest rehabilitation project in Malaysia. Climate Impact Partners announced that the project is now issuing verified carbon removal credits, opening access to one of the highest-quality nature-based removals currently available in the global market.
Restoring One of the World’s Richest Rainforest Ecosystems
The project is located in Sabah, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. This region is home to tropical dipterocarp rainforest, one of the richest forest ecosystems on Earth. These forests store huge amounts of carbon and support extraordinary biodiversity. Some dipterocarp trees can grow up to 70 meters tall, creating habitat for orangutans, pygmy elephants, gibbons, sun bears, and the critically endangered Sumatran rhino.
However, the forest within the INFAPRO project area was not intact. In the 1980s, selective logging removed many of the most valuable tree species, especially large dipterocarps. That caused serious ecological damage. Once the key mother trees were gone, natural regeneration became much harder. Young seedlings also had to compete with dense vines and shrubs, which slowed the forest’s recovery.
To repair that damage, the INFAPRO project was launched in the Ulu-Segama forestry management unit in eastern Sabah.
- The project has restored more than 25,000 hectares of logged-over rainforest.
- It was developed by Face the Future in cooperation with Yayasan Sabah, while Climate Impact Partners has supported the project and helped bring its credits to market.
Why Sabah’s Carbon Removals are Attracting Attention
What makes Sabah INFAPRO different is not only the size of the restoration effort. It is also the way the project measured carbon gains.

Many forest carbon projects issue credits in annual vintages based on year-by-year growth estimates. Sabah INFAPRO followed a different path. It used a landscape-scale monitoring system and waited until the forest moved through its strongest natural growth period before issuing removal credits.
- This approach gives the credits more weight. Rather than relying mainly on short-term annual estimates, the project measured carbon sequestration over a longer period. That helps show that the forest delivered real, sustained, and measurable carbon removal.
The scientific backing is also unusually strong. Since 2007, the project has maintained nearly 400 permanent monitoring plots. These plots have allowed researchers, independent auditors, and technical specialists to observe the full growth cycle of dipterocarp forest recovery. The result is a large body of field data that supports carbon calculations and strengthens confidence in the credits.
In simple terms, buyers are not just being asked to trust a model. They are being shown years of direct forest monitoring across the project landscape.
Strong Ratings Support Market Confidence
Independent assessment has also lifted the project’s profile. BeZero awarded Sabah INFAPRO an A.pre overall rating and an AA score for permanence. That places the project among the highest-rated Improved Forest Management, or IFM, projects in the world.
The rating reflects several important strengths. First, the project has very low exposure to reversal risk. Second, it has a long and stable operating history. Third, its measured carbon gains align well with peer-reviewed ecological research and independent analysis.
These points matter in today’s market. Buyers have become more cautious after years of debate over the quality of some forest carbon credits. As a result, they now look more closely at durability, transparency, and third-party validation. Sabah INFAPRO’s rating helps answer those concerns and makes the project more attractive to companies looking for credible carbon removal.
The project is also registered with Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard under the name INFAPRO Rehabilitation of Logged-over Dipterocarp Forest in Sabah, Malaysia. That adds another level of market recognition and verification.
A Wider Model for Rainforest Recovery
Sabah INFAPRO also shows why high-quality nature-based projects are about more than carbon alone. The restoration effort supports broader ecological recovery in one of the world’s most important rainforest regions.
Climate Impact Partners said it has worked with project partners to restore degraded areas, run local training programs, carry out monthly forest patrols, and distribute seedlings to support rainforest recovery beyond the project boundary. These efforts help strengthen the wider landscape and expand the project’s environmental impact.
That broader value is becoming more important for buyers. Companies increasingly want projects that support biodiversity, ecosystem health, and local engagement, along with carbon removal. Sabah INFAPRO offers that mix, making it a stronger fit for the market’s shift toward higher-integrity credits.

The post Climate Impact Partners Unveils High-Quality Carbon Credits from Sabah Rainforest in Malaysia appeared first on Carbon Credits.
Carbon Footprint
Bitcoin Falls as Energy Prices Rise: Why Crypto Is Now an Energy Market Story
Bitcoin’s recent drop below $70,000 reflects more than short-term market pressure. It signals a deeper shift. The world’s largest cryptocurrency is becoming increasingly tied to global energy markets.
For years, Bitcoin has moved mainly on investor sentiment, adoption trends, and regulation. Today, another force is shaping its direction: the cost of energy.
As oil prices rise and electricity markets tighten, Bitcoin is starting to behave less like a tech asset and more like an energy-dependent system. This shift is changing how investors, analysts, and policymakers understand crypto.
A Global Power Consumer: Inside Bitcoin’s Energy Use
Bitcoin depends on mining, a process that uses powerful computers to verify transactions. These machines run continuously and consume large amounts of electricity.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows Bitcoin mining used between 67 and 240 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2023, with a midpoint estimate of about 120 TWh.

Other estimates place consumption closer to 170 TWh per year in 2025. This accounts for roughly 0.5% of global electricity demand. Recently, as of February 2026, estimates see Bitcoin’s energy use reaching over 200 TWh per year.
That level of energy use is significant. Global electricity demand reached about 27,400 TWh in 2023. Bitcoin’s share may seem small, but it is comparable to the power use of mid-sized countries.
The network also requires steady power. Estimates suggest it draws around 10 gigawatts continuously, similar to several large power plants operating at full capacity. This constant demand makes energy costs central to Bitcoin’s economics.
When Oil Rises, Bitcoin Falls
Bitcoin mining is highly sensitive to electricity prices. Energy is the highest operating cost for miners. When power becomes more expensive, profit margins shrink.
Recent market movements show this link clearly. As oil prices rise and inflation concerns persist, energy costs have increased. At the same time, Bitcoin prices have weakened, falling below the $70,000 level.

This is not a coincidence. Studies show a direct relationship between Bitcoin prices, mining activity, and electricity use. When Bitcoin prices rise, more miners join the network, increasing energy demand. When energy costs rise, less efficient miners may shut down, reducing activity and adding selling pressure.
This creates a feedback loop between crypto and energy markets. Bitcoin is no longer driven only by demand and speculation. It is now influenced by the same forces that affect oil, gas, and power prices.
Cleaner Energy Use Is Growing, but Fossil Fuels Still Matter
Bitcoin’s environmental impact depends on its energy mix. This mix is improving, but it remains uneven.
A 2025 study from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance found that 52.4% of Bitcoin mining now uses sustainable energy. This includes both renewable sources (42.6%) and nuclear power (9.8%). The share has risen significantly from about 37.6% in 2022.
Despite this progress, fossil fuels still account for a large portion of mining energy. Natural gas alone makes up about 38.2%, while coal continues to contribute a smaller share.

This reliance on fossil fuels keeps emissions high. Current estimates suggest Bitcoin produces more than 114 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. That puts it in line with emissions from some industrial sectors.
The shift toward cleaner energy is real, but it is not complete. The pace of change will play a key role in how Bitcoin fits into global climate goals.
Bitcoin’s Climate Debate Intensifies
Bitcoin’s growing energy demand has placed it at the center of ESG discussions. Its impact is often measured through three key areas:
- Total electricity use, which rivals that of entire countries.
- Carbon emissions are estimated at over 100 million tons of CO₂ annually.
- Energy intensity, with a single transaction using large amounts of power.

At the same time, the industry is evolving. Mining companies are adopting more efficient hardware and exploring new energy sources. Some operations use excess renewable power or capture waste energy, such as flare gas from oil fields.
These efforts show progress, but they do not fully address the concerns. The gap between Bitcoin’s energy use and its environmental impact remains a key issue for investors and regulators.
- MUST READ: Bitcoin Price Hits All-Time High Above $126K: ETFs, Market Drivers, and the Future of Digital Gold
Bitcoin Is Becoming Part of the Energy System
Bitcoin mining is now closely integrated with the broader energy system. Operators often choose locations based on access to cheap or excess electricity. This includes areas with strong renewable generation or underused energy resources.
This integration creates both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, mining can support energy systems by using power that might otherwise go to waste. It can also provide flexible demand that helps stabilize grids.
On the other hand, it can increase pressure on local electricity supplies and extend the use of fossil fuels if cleaner options are not available.
In the United States, Bitcoin mining could account for up to 2.3% of total electricity demand in certain scenarios. This highlights how quickly the sector is scaling and how closely it is tied to national energy systems.
Energy Markets Are Now Key to Bitcoin’s Future
Looking ahead, the connection between Bitcoin and energy is expected to grow stronger. The network’s computing power, or hash rate, continues to reach new highs, which typically leads to higher energy use.
Electricity will remain the main cost for miners. This means Bitcoin will continue to respond to changes in energy prices and supply conditions. At the same time, governments are starting to pay closer attention to crypto’s environmental impact, which could shape future regulations.

Some forecasts suggest Bitcoin’s energy use could rise sharply if adoption increases, potentially reaching up to 400 TWh in extreme scenarios. However, cleaner energy systems could reduce the carbon impact over time.
Bitcoin is no longer just a financial asset. It is also a large-scale energy consumer and a growing part of the global power system.
As a result, understanding Bitcoin now requires a broader view. Energy prices, electricity markets, and carbon trends are becoming just as important as market demand and investor sentiment.
The message is clear. As energy markets move, Bitcoin is likely to move with them.
The post Bitcoin Falls as Energy Prices Rise: Why Crypto Is Now an Energy Market Story appeared first on Carbon Credits.
Carbon Footprint
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