# Carbon Capture Systems

As decentralized computing scales globally, its environmental footprint becomes an unavoidable concern particularly in GPU-intensive infrastructures that require high power density and thermal output. While most Web3 and AI infrastructure projects focus solely on technical scalability or cost-efficiency, StarMiner takes a fundamentally different approach: **embedding verifiable sustainability at the hardware layer**.

At the heart of this sustainability framework is the integration of **Carbon Capture Systems (CCS)**  a physical and data-driven mechanism that aligns high-performance computing with planetary limits.

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#### Why Carbon Capture Matters in GPU Infrastructure

Modern AI workloads and rendering tasks consume significant amounts of energy. In centralized cloud systems, this is hidden behind corporate offsets or carbon credits. But in a permissionless, distributed network like StarMiner, compute nodes may span regions with vastly different energy profiles — from coal-powered grids to fully renewable clusters.

Without sustainability enforcement, this creates:

* **Carbon leakage** across unregulated zones
* **Reputation risk** for institutional adoption
* **Environmental degradation** that undermines Web3’s promise of future-proof infrastructure

To address this, StarMiner integrates **carbon capture at the physical layer** turning energy-heavy workloads into carbon-accountable tasks.

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#### StarMiner’s CCS Strategy

StarMiner’s Carbon Capture framework is structured around four core pillars:

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**1. On-Chain Emissions Indexing**

Every compute job in StarMiner is executed via a **Compute Service Contract (CSC)** that logs:

* The Provider Node’s location
* Hardware profile (including power draw)
* Duration and energy used for the task

Using external oracles and node-submitted metadata, StarMiner maps this job to a **per-task CO₂e emission estimate**.

These data points are recorded **on-chain**, making every AGPU-spending job **auditable for carbon intensity**.

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**2. Node-Level Carbon Scoring and Reputation**

Provider Nodes are scored based on their carbon intensity:

| Factor                        | Description                                                |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Power Source Disclosure**   | Verified grid provider or self-reported (subject to audit) |
| **Thermal Efficiency**        | Cooling systems used (e.g., water cooling vs. air-cooled)  |
| **Hardware Efficiency**       | Newer GPUs with lower TDP get favorable scores             |
| **Carbon Offset Integration** | Integration with approved CCS providers (see next section) |

High-carbon nodes are not banned — but they are:

* Penalized in routing for premium or ESG-sensitive jobs
* Offered lower AGPU rates
* Encouraged to participate in offset pools to restore scoring

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**3. Integrated Carbon Capture Pools**

To go beyond offsetting claims, StarMiner partners with third-party carbon capture technologies, including:

* **Direct Air Capture (DAC)** facilities
* **Biochar carbon sinks**
* **Ocean alkalinity enhancement**
* **Verified reforestation & soil carbon programs**

These partnerships are integrated through:

* DAO-approved whitelisting
* Verifiable carbon token registries (e.g., Toucan, Open Forest Protocol)
* AGPU-streamed micro-contributions from job execution (opt-in or enforced by governance)

StarMiner can programmatically **link compute consumption to carbon token burning**, creating a direct compute-to-capture feedback loop.

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**4. Sustainable Compute Routing and Rewards**

Jobs submitted to the StarMiner network can include **sustainability preferences**:

* Route to green-compute nodes only
* Match only providers above a carbon score threshold
* Burn X% AGPU into CCS vaults on execution

The Multi-Tier Pricing (MTP) engine reflects this by:

* Applying **carbon-aware surcharges** for high-intensity nodes
* Offering **AGPU rebates** for verified clean compute
* Prioritizing nodes participating in capture contracts with real offset delivery

This turns CCS into a **routing incentive and monetization layer**, not just a moral narrative.

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#### Governance Oversight and Evolution

AMAX governance holders manage key CCS parameters:

* Whitelist or revoke CCS partners based on transparency
* Allocate treasury to bootstrap new climate infrastructure
* Adjust job routing logic to favor net-zero or net-negative compute clusters

This enables StarMiner’s environmental logic to evolve democratically — balancing performance, cost, and sustainability as the protocol scales.

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#### Strategic Importance

By integrating CCS directly into job accounting, node scoring, and pricing logic, StarMiner creates the first **verifiably low-carbon decentralized compute layer**. This opens doors to:

* Enterprise and institutional adoption (ESG compliance)
* Regional deployments in sustainability-focused nations or carbon-regulated markets
* Carbon-aware DePIN integrations (where climate metrics shape infrastructure access)
