Bitcoin Mining's Sustainable Energy Use Climbs to 56.7%
The Bitcoin network's reliance on sustainable energy has reached 56.7%, a substantial increase from just 34% in 2021. This data, presented by tech investor and ESG expert Daniel Batten and sourced from the Digital Assets Research Institute (DARI), challenges the prevailing narrative of Bitcoin as a purely environmental liability. The shift indicates a structural change in how miners source power, increasingly turning to renewables to lower operational costs.
Mining Operations Cut Renewable Project Payback to 3.5 Years
Bitcoin mining is actively accelerating the deployment of renewable energy by serving as a buyer of first resort for new projects. According to Batten's analysis, miners can reduce the payback period for new solar or wind installations from a typical eight years down to just three and a half. This is achieved by providing immediate revenue to projects that would otherwise wait in grid interconnection queues for up to 15 years, thereby making clean energy investments more financially attractive and stabilizing power grids that use variable sources.
Miners Convert Waste Heat and Mitigate Methane Emissions
Beyond consuming green energy, the Bitcoin mining industry is creating positive environmental externalities. Miners are repurposing waste heat for industrial and residential applications. For instance, mining firm MARA provides district heating for 80,000 residents in Finland, which is roughly 2% of the country's population. Furthermore, by using otherwise wasted or flared methane from oil fields and landfills to power operations, the industry is mitigating emissions equivalent to 7% of the entire Bitcoin network's carbon footprint. This process turns a potent greenhouse gas into a productive asset.
Bitcoin mining has emerged as a linchpin for addressing four systemic barriers to climate progress, as demonstrated by both real-world data and case studies.
— Daniel Batten, ESG Expert.
Edgen Crypto·Jan 09 2026, 05:01
