Bitcoin’s green problem could pose an existential threat

Discussion in 'Crypto Assets' started by themickey, Mar 9, 2021.

  1. Ed48

    Ed48

    Hardly much of a comparison.

    Bitcoin's annual electricity consumption is over 40% of the total UK annual electricity consumption.

    Or put another way...

    The electicity consumed by Bitcoin in a year could power the entire UK for 5 months.
     
    #11     Mar 11, 2021
  2. MrMuppet

    MrMuppet

    but it serves probably 100x the number of people who live in the UK
     
    #12     Mar 11, 2021
    johnarb likes this.
  3. AbbotAle

    AbbotAle

    As I said, most get their big talking points from the media/twitter.

    For example, I've never heard the media/twitter talk that much about any other form of direct and perceived wasted energy, only Bitcoin.

    • A trillion+ wasted on energy in wars without possible ends
    • Big government getting ever bigger (think about how much energy that all wastes)
    • Inflationary economic policies that demand excess consumption at all costs alongside ever rising energy usage to power it, and so on.

    So why if people are worried about 'wasted energy' do they pick on a tiny sparrow like Bitcoin when there are many massive elephants in the room? The reason is simple, the media/twitter have set their sights on Bitcoin and not the others so that's where the sheep and/or parrots set their stalls up.

    And it's pretty easy to get all the sheep/parrots on your side, just inject in some emotion (Bitcoin is boiling the oceans!) and they're all yours...
     
    #13     Mar 11, 2021
    johnarb likes this.
  4. Ed48

    Ed48

    If it keeps doubling every year, as it has done over the past 5 years, then it won't be a "tiny sparrow" for long.

    Jan 2021 - 0.5% of total worldwide electricity consumption
    2022 - 1%
    2023 - 2%
    2024 - 4%
    2025 - 8%
    2026 - 16%
    2027 - 32%
    2028 - 64%

    Now, maybe it won't keep doubling. Maybe the rate of increase will slow down.

    But if it does continue on an unsustainable trajectory, something will have to change/break/give at some point.

    Who knows. Only time will tell. :D
     
    #14     Mar 12, 2021
  5. Ed48

    Ed48

    OK, here's an idea.

    FACT: virtually 100% of Bitcoin's electricity consumption ends up as heat energy

    At the moment, most of this heat is probably wasted.

    But what if it could be put to good use? Eg. heating people's homes, shops, offices, factories, swimming pools etc.

    Using Bitcoin rigs for heating would certainly change the narrative.
     
    #15     Mar 12, 2021
  6. Ed48

    Ed48

    You live up to your name. :D

    There are 65 million people in the UK.

    100 x 65 million = 6.5 billion. That's virtually the entire population of the world.
     
    #16     Mar 13, 2021
  7. MrMuppet

    MrMuppet

    Exactly right. We're at 7.8b so if you subtract the 1b from first world countries you're looking at about 6.8b population in the 2nd and 3rd world. They're the main real world users.

    By the way: BTCs market cap is now bigger than the Korean Won...just saying :D
     
    #17     Mar 13, 2021
    johnarb likes this.