This is the proof-of-work process used to create new coins and validate transactions via a powerful computer system, or “mining rig,” dedicated to solving algorithmic puzzles. Just half a decade ago, crypto’s impact on the world’s It is an energy-intensive procedure: According to the University of Cambridge, the total annual power consumption of Bitcoin, the most widespread cryptocurrency, is currently 145 TWh, which is approximately 0.32% of total global energy consumption. But in the past five years, Bitcoin’s energy consumption has grown from 11.8 to 120.5 TWh per year the equivalent of adding 2,400 wind turbines to the grid every year. And this could continue to rise rapidly: NYDIG, a Bitcoin financial services company, estimates that electricity consumption from Bitcoin mining could grow to 706 TWh by 2027.ĭubai Office, Middle East Crypto mining and the push to grow greenĬrypto’s rapid growth in energy use is attracting questions over its For context, the United States has installed an average of around 3,000 wind turbines a year, according to the USGS. Currently, 57% of the energy used for crypto mining comes from renewable sources (hydro, wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal and carbon generation with carbon offsets as defined by the Bitcoin Mining Council Q3 2021 Report). However, given the inherent incentive for miners to minimize energy costs, and the fact that clean energy is now the cheapest source of power in some countries as “available” energy, we expect the share of green energy to grow quickly. This is especially true for countries with a strong policy push for decarbonization.
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