Bitcoin mining potentially aids in energy sustainability, according to recent studies.
In a recent report, the Digital Assets Research Institute (DARI) has challenged a widely cited study on the environmental cost of cryptocurrency, criticizing its unilateral methodology and use of outdated sources. The DARI report, titled 'Rebuttal of "The environmental cost of cryptocurrency: Analysing CO2 emissions in the 9 leading mining countries"', highlights several key points, including the overestimation of hashrate in countries like Kazakhstan and the omission of mitigating actions that could reduce net emissions.
One of the main criticisms in the DARI report is the overestimation of the hashrate of countries like Kazakhstan, whose actual participation levels fell from approximately 13% in 2021 to just 4% in 2023. The report also points out that the study only counts brute CO2 emissions, ignoring the use of excess electricity or the burning of wasted methane, which could potentially reduce net emissions by up to 25%.
However, recent studies show that Bitcoin mining's environmental impact is improving significantly. According to the latest data from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), 52.4% of the energy used in Bitcoin mining comes from sustainable sources. Moreover, 42.6% of the energy used in Bitcoin mining comes from renewable energy sources, while another 9.8% comes from nuclear generation.
The relationship between Bitcoin mining and environmental and energy sustainability is being re-evaluated by current studies that contradict dominant narratives about its environmental impact. According to the Bitcoin Mining Council's April 2025 report, over 63% of the Bitcoin network's electricity mix is now sourced from sustainable energy, including hydro, wind, solar, and nuclear. This marks a notable increase from just 37% in 2021.
This shift is driven by miners relocating to regions with abundant renewable resources and upgrading to more efficient hardware, resulting in a 46% improvement in energy efficiency (joules per terahash) since 2021. Bitcoin mining can actively contribute to renewable energy generation by utilizing surplus clean energy that might otherwise go to waste.
For example, projects like Adecoagro redirect excess solar, wind, and hydroelectric power to Bitcoin mining operations, reducing curtailment (waste) of renewable power and providing renewable energy producers with stable revenue streams. This dynamic incentivizes further investment in renewable infrastructure, aligning economic incentives with sustainability goals.
Additional research supports this synergy by proposing mining operations that strategically time electricity consumption to coincide with periods of surplus renewable generation, such as low-demand hours with lower or even negative electricity prices. This can help stabilize power grids and improve the economics of renewable energy projects.
In summary, recent studies indicate Bitcoin mining is increasingly transitioning toward and supporting renewable energy generation, turning an environmental challenge into an opportunity for greener energy systems. The growing recycling and reuse of mining hardware is a significant factor in reducing the estimated ASIC waste from Bitcoin mining. The CCAF 2025 survey found only 2.3 kilotons of ASIC waste from Bitcoin mining, contradicting earlier estimates of around 30,000 tons.
In Texas, during a winter storm in 2022, mining operations reduced their load by 1.4 GW, helping to stabilize the grid. The total emissions from Bitcoin mining have remained practically stable since 2019, despite the global hash rate growth of the Bitcoin network.
In conclusion, Bitcoin mining has shown the ability to adapt to electrical system demands, providing relief during critical moments. Several sources used in negative analyses of Bitcoin have been refuted or have become outdated, according to the Digital Assets Research Institute (DARI). A study by Cornell (2023) suggests that mining revenues can be crucial for solar and wind projects to be economically viable in their initial phases, potentially driving new energy capacities. For those interested in learning more about Bitcoin and its role in sustainable energy generation, the Bitcoin 101 course on the website Academy provides further education.
- The DARI report, published in 2025, critiques a previous study on cryptocurrency's environmental impact, arguing that it neglected technology advancements in the finance sector, such as improvements in Bitcoin mining's energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy sources.
- The latest studies on Bitcoin, including the Bitcoin Mining Council's 2025 report and the CCAF 2025 survey, demonstrate that technology innovations in finance have significantly reduced Bitcoin mining's environmental footprint, with over 63% of the Bitcoin network's electricity mix now sourced from sustainable energy.
