Nova Energy LLC has received permit approval for a new natural gas-powered cryptomine data center in Frenchcreek Township, Pennsylvania.

According to the announcement in the PA Code and Bulletin, the planning approval is based on the issuance of three lean-burn, natural gas-powered engines to power generators for cryptocurrency mining.

The application for the construction of the data center was initially received in August 2024, and was subject to air-quality testing and public comment before gaining final approval.

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which approved the permit, stated that it expected the new facility to emit “28.56 tons per year of volatile organic compounds, 22.83 tons of NOx, and 6.45 tons of hazardous air pollutants,” per year.

The DEP also stated that the site would be subject to ongoing testing and emission restrictions to make sure it continued to operate within all applicable air quality requirements.

Further details on the data centers weren't shared. DCD has attempted to contact Nova for more information.

The company's use of natural gas to power the facility adds to a growing trend for data center companies opting to use natural gas over diesel, coal, or other fossil fuels, which has been exacerbated by the pro-fossil fuel stance of President Donald Trump's administration.

Gas is cleaner than diesel and other fossil fuels, and its carbon emissions are much lower. But it remains far more environmentally damaging than renewable energy, meaning its popularity has proven a divisive issue in the data center industry.

It also plays a major role powering crypto data centers. A 2023 study by the UN revealed that natural gas was the power source for 21 percent of Bitcoin mining operations globally - second-place only to coal (45 percent). An academic study conducted between 2022 and 2023 suggested that 85 percent of Bitcoin mining in the US was powered by fossil fuels.