The emergence of Bitcoin mining has raised significant alarms over the environmental footprints it leaves behind. Main concerns are around energy use and criteria air pollutants. Just from August 2022 to July 2023, 34 Bitcoin mines across the U.S. used a mind-boggling 32.3 terawatt-hours of electricity. That’s 33% more energy than the whole city of Los Angeles consumes! Further exacerbating this concern, the massive energy demands of these operations have raised environmental justice alarms. The majority of their power is generated from fossil fuels, which creates PM2.5 pollution—known to have serious health risks impacting nearby communities.
Research published in March in Nature Communications highlights the alarming trend in Bitcoin mining’s energy consumption and its correlation with air pollution. The new study looks at a public database of the country’s biggest Bitcoin mines. Collectively, these mines now account for a mind-boggling 80% of U.S. Bitcoin mining capacity.
Health Risks from PM2.5 Pollution
Our research has shown that operations for this new industry, Bitcoin mining, have created clusters of dangerous air pollution. This problem is particularly acute in major markets like New York City and Houston, in addition to the Illinois-Kentucky border and northeast Texas. Unlike the previous two, these locations have experienced rising concentrations of PM2.5 – a pollutant with well-documented harmful impacts to human health.
Researchers noted that approximately 1.9 million people were exposed to over 0.1 micrograms per cubic meter of additional fine particulate matter pollution from these mines. Pollution has increased, reaching dangerous levels that put the health of surrounding communities at risk. It suggests that after just one year of exposure, residents will begin to experience serious and irreversible health impacts.
“The air pollution created by Bitcoin mining is not being breathed by the people near the mine,” – Scott Delaney
This statement underscores a critical aspect of the issue: while mining operations may be situated far from urban centers where people reside, their impact on air quality can still reach communities hundreds of kilometers away. Human beings residing in these areas experience increased vulnerabilities. As a result, they suffer higher rates of hospitalization and death from respiratory diseases.
Energy Consumption Exceeds Major Cities
Though just a part of the story, bitcoin mining consumes an astonishing amount of energy. Yet this extreme demand poses profound threats to the U.S. power grid. These 34 mines use more electricity than Los Angeles, the 2nd largest city in America. Their energy demand is truly mind-boggling. During the time the study was launched in August 2022, operations have already doubled. They’re not showing any signs of slowing down!
Nationally, the push to transition to cleaner energy has gained momentum. Yet an astounding 84% of the electricity that goes to mining operations is still generated from fossil fuel-burning plants. This increasing dependence on non-renewable energy sources poses serious sustainability and environmental deterioration issues.
“With that information, we were able to estimate the power plants that were generating more electricity for the Bitcoin mines, find out how much air pollution those plants create, and find out where that pollution goes,” – Scott Delaney
Delaney’s perspective and experiences are a testament to how researchers use the scientific method to quantify consumption and innovate new solutions. They look at the effects of this consumption on local air quality. This research reveals a critical opportunity for – and big expectation of – policymakers. They need to consider the broader impacts Bitcoin mining facilities’ operations have on public health and our environment.
Future Implications of Bitcoin Mining
As Bitcoin mining gets bigger, you can bet anything that their energy needs will increase even more. As time goes on, Bitcoin mining grows increasingly financially burdensome. Already as the total cap of 21 million Bitcoins nears, miners must expend vastly more energy and computation to release the remaining coins. Yet this increasing demand for energy begs the question, what do we want our future environmental sustainability and public health to look like?
The Nature Communications study shows that trend in a very alarming way. Without unexpected regulatory action or rapid improvements in clean energy technology, the harmful impacts of Bitcoin mining will only continue to grow.
“We need to think about the social value of Bitcoin,” – Scott Delaney