Communications of the ACM
Bitcoin Has Emitted 200 Million Tons of CO2 Since Launch
The large energy requirements of bitcoin and several other cryptocurrencies have a big environmental impact.
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Researchers at the U.K.'s University of Cambridge estimated bitcoin miners have discharged nearly 200 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere since the cryptocurrency's launch 13 years ago.
The Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI) factors in cryptocurrency mining volumes for every country worldwide, and a model that covers energy consumption and power of bitcoin-mining hardware, current bitcoin prices, and the point at which certain equipment becomes profitable to operate in various situations.
The researchers calculated that 199.65 million tons of carbon emissions could be attributed to the Bitcoin network by September, of which 92% transpired in the past four years.
From New Scientist
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Abstracts Copyright © 2022 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA
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