Environmental impact of bitcoin

The environmental impact of bitcoin is significant. Bitcoin mining, the process by which bitcoins are created and transactions are finalized, is energy-consuming and results in carbon emissions,^[1] as about half of the electricity used in 2025 was generated through fossil fuels.^[2] Moreover, bitcoins are mined on specialized computer hardware resulting in electronic waste.^[3] Scholars argue that bitcoin mining could support renewable energy development by utilizing surplus electricity from wind and solar.^[4] Bitcoin's environmental impact has attracted the attention of regulators, leading to incentives or restrictions in various jurisdictions.^[5]

^ Huang, Jon; O'Neill, Claire; Tabuchi, Hiroko (3 September 2021). "Bitcoin Uses More Electricity Than Many Countries. How Is That Possible?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
^ "Cambridge Digital Mining Industry Report: Global Operations, Sentiment, and Energy Use - CCAF publications". Cambridge Judge Business School. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
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