Bitcoin (BTC) Mining Isn’t the Climate Villain Many Think: ESG Expert Says

Bitcoin mining has lengthy been portrayed as dangerous to the local weather. Many argued that it wastes huge quantities of power, strains energy grids, and undermines international local weather targets – claims which have grow to be a typical a part of public debate.

However, this narrative is more and more being challenged as extra information and evaluation emerge. Claims that Bitcoin mining wastes power or destabilizes grids are contradicted by college analysis and real-world grid information.

Debunking Bitcoin Mining Myths

ESG professional Daniel Batten has pushed again towards misconceptions round Bitcoin mining whereas saying that many claims will not be supported by proof and persist because of outdated assumptions. In his evaluation of Bitcoin and power use, Batten explained that the concept that Bitcoin makes use of massive quantities of power, water, or digital waste per transaction is wrong, whereas pointing to a number of peer-reviewed research and Cambridge University analysis which have proven BTC’s useful resource consumption just isn’t pushed by transaction quantity.

As a end result, transaction exercise can scale with out growing power, water, or {hardware} use. He traces the origin of the “per transaction” narrative to a 2018 commentary by Alex de Vries, which he says was later debunked however extensively cited. This is what led to long-lasting misunderstandings.

On digital waste particularly, Batten cited 2025 Cambridge findings which present that earlier estimates overstated Bitcoin’s e-waste by greater than 1,200%. The researcher additionally disputed claims that Bitcoin mining destabilizes energy grids. Instead, he cited a rising physique of unbiased analysis that discovered that mining can as a substitute assist grid stability because of its versatile and interruptible load profile, notably on grids with high ranges of wind and photo voltaic.

Meanwhile, research from Duke University and different researchers have discovered that Bitcoin mining can present grid balancing and ancillary providers, a conclusion Batten says is supported by real-world information from Texas’ ERCOT grid. According to ERCOT information, BTC mining has contributed to near-daily grid stabilization via demand response and frequency regulation, together with throughout excessive occasions comparable to the July 2022 Texas heatwave, whereas just one delicate destabilizing incident has been documented.

Electrified, Grid-Friendly, and Cheaper

Batten even went on to problem the declare that Bitcoin mining raises electrical energy costs for customers, whereas mentioning US and Texas electrical energy value information between 2021 and 2024 that present no irregular enhance in areas with high mining exercise. He acknowledged that BTC mining can decrease system prices by monetizing extra renewable power, lowering curtailment, deferring grid upgrades, and changing the want for added gasoline peaker vegetation.

Cases in Norway and Kenya present that Bitcoin mining has been linked to decrease electrical energy costs. On broader power comparisons, Batten echoes Cambridge University’s view that evaluating BTC’s power use to complete international locations is deceptive. He says local weather coverage is targeted on altering how power is produced and managed, not merely slicing complete consumption.

He additional famous that BTC mining is absolutely electrified, extremely versatile, and able to lowering methane emissions. Batten disputed claims that the crypto asset has an unusually high carbon footprint and indicated Cambridge estimates of about 39.8 MtCO2e in emissions, all from electrical energy use. Data additionally revealed that Bitcoin mining has crossed a 50% sustainable power threshold globally.

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