Keep the lights on or mine Bitcoin? How crypto is sucking up clean energy

[arthur]

Link: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/03/climate/crypto-mining-renewables-electricity-shortage/index.html

"The global mining of Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, consumes more energy than is used by all of Pakistan, home to more than 230 million people,"

"In Paraguay, these fears have been stoked by the proliferation of cowboy crypto miners, which, unlike MARA, operate illegally. State energy company ANDE reports that around 28% of the country's electricity is lost every year, driven in part by fraudulent crypto mining."

"It's becoming common to "to see (crypto) mining in areas that already have issues: energy shortages, environmental problems and so on"

"When you note which groups are currently benefiting from mining Bitcoin and which nations and generations will suffer the most from its environmental consequences, you can't stop thinking about the inequity and injustice implications"

Government sentiment is turning against proof-of-work mining and the energy destruction it causes. Even within crypto, most have no idea how much more energy efficient proof-of-stake consensus is.

Patchcoin has the same economics as Bitcoin with far less than 1% of the energy usage.