Projected Minimum Cost per BTC over the next year

[chriswilmer]

Clearly the next step is to model amortized hardware costs. I would think that those will never become negligible. Perhaps it could modeled as some multiple of the electricity cost... for example, maybe the amortized hardware cost will always be twice the cost of power, so that the "apparent" cost of electricity is actually tripled.

[anton000]

When calculated in the OP over the time period from March 14, 2013 to March 13, 2014 the average increase in the difficulty and hash rate was 23.92% per adjustment period and the average length of each adjustment period was 11.38 days.

Recalculated over the period June 29, 2013 to June 29, 2014 it was 23.45% and 11.41 days.

Now, recalculating over the period August 24, 2013 to August 31, 2014 it is 21.12% and 11.63 days.

Assuming the network growth rate over the next year is the same as it was this last year we get:

Code:

                                Hash Rate   Power      Energy            Cost        Cost
     Date          Difficulty        TH/s      MW         MWh        $/Period       $/BTC
---------  ------------------  ----------  ------  ----------  --------------  ----------
11-Sep-14      33,220,936,877     237,808     238      66,349      $6,634,853     $131.64
23-Sep-14      40,236,446,759     288,028     288      80,360      $8,035,984     $159.44
04-Oct-14      48,733,473,526     348,853     349      97,330      $9,733,002     $193.12
16-Oct-14      59,024,880,009     422,523     423     117,884     $11,788,392     $233.90
28-Oct-14      71,489,598,585     511,750     512     142,778     $14,277,833     $283.29
08-Nov-14      86,586,583,575     619,820     620     172,930     $17,292,988     $343.11
20-Nov-14     104,871,710,060     750,712     751     209,449     $20,944,876     $415.57
02-Dec-14     127,018,241,359     909,246     909     253,680     $25,367,960     $503.33
13-Dec-14     153,841,618,762   1,101,258   1,101     307,251     $30,725,098     $609.62
25-Dec-14     186,329,486,300   1,333,819   1,334     372,135     $37,213,544     $738.36
05-Jan-15     225,678,056,071   1,615,491   1,615     450,722     $45,072,202     $894.29
17-Jan-15     273,336,153,086   1,956,646   1,957     545,904     $54,590,430   $1,083.14
29-Jan-15     331,058,561,407   2,369,846   2,370     661,187     $66,118,694   $1,311.88
09-Feb-15     400,970,635,767   2,870,303   2,870     800,815     $80,081,465   $1,588.92
21-Feb-15     485,646,557,708   3,476,447   3,476     969,929     $96,992,858   $1,924.46
05-Mar-15     588,204,117,648   4,210,593   4,211   1,174,756    $117,475,554   $2,330.86
16-Mar-15     712,419,512,763   5,099,775   5,100   1,422,837    $142,283,732   $2,823.09
28-Mar-15     862,866,387,600   6,176,732   6,177   1,723,308    $172,330,835   $3,419.26
08-Apr-15   1,045,084,236,901   7,481,119   7,481   2,087,232    $208,723,207   $4,141.33
20-Apr-15   1,265,782,371,309   9,060,961   9,061   2,528,008    $252,800,823   $5,015.89
02-May-15   1,533,086,956,002  10,974,431  10,974   3,061,866    $306,186,635   $6,075.13
13-May-15   1,856,840,218,301  13,291,983  13,292   3,708,463    $370,846,321   $7,358.06
25-May-15   2,248,962,841,151  16,098,949  16,099   4,491,607    $449,160,670   $8,911.92
06-Jun-15   2,723,892,885,897  19,498,682  19,499   5,440,132    $544,013,236  $10,793.91
17-Jun-15   3,299,117,405,623  23,616,363  23,616   6,588,965    $658,896,517  $13,073.34
29-Jun-15   3,995,816,323,188  28,603,604  28,604   7,980,405    $798,040,547  $15,834.14
10-Jul-15   4,839,642,281,734  34,644,038  34,644   9,665,686    $966,568,646  $19,177.95
22-Jul-15   5,861,665,181,962  41,960,074  41,960  11,706,861  $1,170,686,065  $23,227.90
03-Aug-15   7,099,516,184,307  50,821,092  50,821  14,179,085  $1,417,908,463  $28,133.10
14-Aug-15   8,598,773,298,472  61,553,356  61,553  17,173,386  $1,717,338,634  $34,074.18
26-Aug-15  10,414,639,578,109  74,552,032  74,552  20,800,017  $2,080,001,680  $41,269.87
07-Sep-15  12,613,975,712,232  90,295,733  90,296  25,192,510  $2,519,250,952  $49,985.14

In other words something has got to give by the end of the year, or actually before December 1

BurtW: Im a correct in assuming that these costs are just for power/electricity usage. Other costs, such as the average price of mining equipment / THs isnt taken into account?

[samsonn25]

So next September it will be 381 times harder to mine for BTC.   Unless the price rises to $181,000 to make it equal to mining today.  Something has to give.

[molecular]

When calculated in the OP over the time period from March 14, 2013 to March 13, 2014 the average increase in the difficulty and hash rate was 23.92% per adjustment period and the average length of each adjustment period was 11.38 days.

Recalculated over the period June 29, 2013 to June 29, 2014 it was 23.45% and 11.41 days.

Now, recalculating over the period August 24, 2013 to August 31, 2014 it is 21.12% and 11.63 days.

Assuming the network growth rate over the next year is the same as it was this last year we get:

Code:

                                Hash Rate   Power      Energy            Cost        Cost
     Date          Difficulty        TH/s      MW         MWh        $/Period       $/BTC
---------  ------------------  ----------  ------  ----------  --------------  ----------
11-Sep-14      33,220,936,877     237,808     238      66,349      $6,634,853     $131.64
23-Sep-14      40,236,446,759     288,028     288      80,360      $8,035,984     $159.44
04-Oct-14      48,733,473,526     348,853     349      97,330      $9,733,002     $193.12
16-Oct-14      59,024,880,009     422,523     423     117,884     $11,788,392     $233.90
28-Oct-14      71,489,598,585     511,750     512     142,778     $14,277,833     $283.29
08-Nov-14      86,586,583,575     619,820     620     172,930     $17,292,988     $343.11
20-Nov-14     104,871,710,060     750,712     751     209,449     $20,944,876     $415.57
02-Dec-14     127,018,241,359     909,246     909     253,680     $25,367,960     $503.33
13-Dec-14     153,841,618,762   1,101,258   1,101     307,251     $30,725,098     $609.62
25-Dec-14     186,329,486,300   1,333,819   1,334     372,135     $37,213,544     $738.36
05-Jan-15     225,678,056,071   1,615,491   1,615     450,722     $45,072,202     $894.29
17-Jan-15     273,336,153,086   1,956,646   1,957     545,904     $54,590,430   $1,083.14
29-Jan-15     331,058,561,407   2,369,846   2,370     661,187     $66,118,694   $1,311.88
09-Feb-15     400,970,635,767   2,870,303   2,870     800,815     $80,081,465   $1,588.92
21-Feb-15     485,646,557,708   3,476,447   3,476     969,929     $96,992,858   $1,924.46
05-Mar-15     588,204,117,648   4,210,593   4,211   1,174,756    $117,475,554   $2,330.86
16-Mar-15     712,419,512,763   5,099,775   5,100   1,422,837    $142,283,732   $2,823.09
28-Mar-15     862,866,387,600   6,176,732   6,177   1,723,308    $172,330,835   $3,419.26
08-Apr-15   1,045,084,236,901   7,481,119   7,481   2,087,232    $208,723,207   $4,141.33
20-Apr-15   1,265,782,371,309   9,060,961   9,061   2,528,008    $252,800,823   $5,015.89
02-May-15   1,533,086,956,002  10,974,431  10,974   3,061,866    $306,186,635   $6,075.13
13-May-15   1,856,840,218,301  13,291,983  13,292   3,708,463    $370,846,321   $7,358.06
25-May-15   2,248,962,841,151  16,098,949  16,099   4,491,607    $449,160,670   $8,911.92
06-Jun-15   2,723,892,885,897  19,498,682  19,499   5,440,132    $544,013,236  $10,793.91
17-Jun-15   3,299,117,405,623  23,616,363  23,616   6,588,965    $658,896,517  $13,073.34
29-Jun-15   3,995,816,323,188  28,603,604  28,604   7,980,405    $798,040,547  $15,834.14
10-Jul-15   4,839,642,281,734  34,644,038  34,644   9,665,686    $966,568,646  $19,177.95
22-Jul-15   5,861,665,181,962  41,960,074  41,960  11,706,861  $1,170,686,065  $23,227.90
03-Aug-15   7,099,516,184,307  50,821,092  50,821  14,179,085  $1,417,908,463  $28,133.10
14-Aug-15   8,598,773,298,472  61,553,356  61,553  17,173,386  $1,717,338,634  $34,074.18
26-Aug-15  10,414,639,578,109  74,552,032  74,552  20,800,017  $2,080,001,680  $41,269.87
07-Sep-15  12,613,975,712,232  90,295,733  90,296  25,192,510  $2,519,250,952  $49,985.14

In other words something has got to give by the end of the year, or actually before December 1

Thanks so much for this.

Yes, something has to give.

If it's the price, some people will come out of the woodwork and say this is proof that "price follows hashrate". I will still disagree.

If the hashrate actually goes down (like in 2011), at least part of the reasoning that "hashrate follows price" is supported (namely: "if price is lower than production cost, miners will switch off their equipment").

If nothing gives (bitcoin price is below production cost) we know: Either at least some miners are economically irrational or we're making wrong assumptions about either the production cost or the price miners are able sell at.

Interesting times ahead

[samsonn25]

"We Are Fuc*ed"  I repeat We Are Fuc*ed"

[Adrian-x]

"We Are Fuc*ed"  I repeat We Are Fuc*ed"

Lol I see it as a win win.

[Adrian-x]

If nothing gives (bitcoin price is below production cost) we know: Either at least some miners are economically irrational or we're making wrong assumptions about either the production cost or the price miners are able sell at.

Interesting times ahead

I wouldn't assume some miners are economically irrational, I'd think it would reflect more on the nature of proponents of Bitcoin and how they value it.

Still this is another historic juncture.

[greaterfool]

When calculated in the OP over the time period from March 14, 2013 to March 13, 2014 the average increase in the difficulty and hash rate was 23.92% per adjustment period and the average length of each adjustment period was 11.38 days.

Recalculated over the period June 29, 2013 to June 29, 2014 it was 23.45% and 11.41 days.

Now, recalculating over the period August 24, 2013 to August 31, 2014 it is 21.12% and 11.63 days.

Assuming the network growth rate over the next year is the same as it was this last year we get:

Code:

                                Hash Rate   Power      Energy            Cost        Cost
     Date          Difficulty        TH/s      MW         MWh        $/Period       $/BTC
---------  ------------------  ----------  ------  ----------  --------------  ----------
11-Sep-14      33,220,936,877     237,808     238      66,349      $6,634,853     $131.64
23-Sep-14      40,236,446,759     288,028     288      80,360      $8,035,984     $159.44
04-Oct-14      48,733,473,526     348,853     349      97,330      $9,733,002     $193.12
16-Oct-14      59,024,880,009     422,523     423     117,884     $11,788,392     $233.90
28-Oct-14      71,489,598,585     511,750     512     142,778     $14,277,833     $283.29
08-Nov-14      86,586,583,575     619,820     620     172,930     $17,292,988     $343.11
20-Nov-14     104,871,710,060     750,712     751     209,449     $20,944,876     $415.57
02-Dec-14     127,018,241,359     909,246     909     253,680     $25,367,960     $503.33
13-Dec-14     153,841,618,762   1,101,258   1,101     307,251     $30,725,098     $609.62
25-Dec-14     186,329,486,300   1,333,819   1,334     372,135     $37,213,544     $738.36
05-Jan-15     225,678,056,071   1,615,491   1,615     450,722     $45,072,202     $894.29
17-Jan-15     273,336,153,086   1,956,646   1,957     545,904     $54,590,430   $1,083.14
29-Jan-15     331,058,561,407   2,369,846   2,370     661,187     $66,118,694   $1,311.88
09-Feb-15     400,970,635,767   2,870,303   2,870     800,815     $80,081,465   $1,588.92
21-Feb-15     485,646,557,708   3,476,447   3,476     969,929     $96,992,858   $1,924.46
05-Mar-15     588,204,117,648   4,210,593   4,211   1,174,756    $117,475,554   $2,330.86
16-Mar-15     712,419,512,763   5,099,775   5,100   1,422,837    $142,283,732   $2,823.09
28-Mar-15     862,866,387,600   6,176,732   6,177   1,723,308    $172,330,835   $3,419.26
08-Apr-15   1,045,084,236,901   7,481,119   7,481   2,087,232    $208,723,207   $4,141.33
20-Apr-15   1,265,782,371,309   9,060,961   9,061   2,528,008    $252,800,823   $5,015.89
02-May-15   1,533,086,956,002  10,974,431  10,974   3,061,866    $306,186,635   $6,075.13
13-May-15   1,856,840,218,301  13,291,983  13,292   3,708,463    $370,846,321   $7,358.06
25-May-15   2,248,962,841,151  16,098,949  16,099   4,491,607    $449,160,670   $8,911.92
06-Jun-15   2,723,892,885,897  19,498,682  19,499   5,440,132    $544,013,236  $10,793.91
17-Jun-15   3,299,117,405,623  23,616,363  23,616   6,588,965    $658,896,517  $13,073.34
29-Jun-15   3,995,816,323,188  28,603,604  28,604   7,980,405    $798,040,547  $15,834.14
10-Jul-15   4,839,642,281,734  34,644,038  34,644   9,665,686    $966,568,646  $19,177.95
22-Jul-15   5,861,665,181,962  41,960,074  41,960  11,706,861  $1,170,686,065  $23,227.90
03-Aug-15   7,099,516,184,307  50,821,092  50,821  14,179,085  $1,417,908,463  $28,133.10
14-Aug-15   8,598,773,298,472  61,553,356  61,553  17,173,386  $1,717,338,634  $34,074.18
26-Aug-15  10,414,639,578,109  74,552,032  74,552  20,800,017  $2,080,001,680  $41,269.87
07-Sep-15  12,613,975,712,232  90,295,733  90,296  25,192,510  $2,519,250,952  $49,985.14

In other words something has got to give by the end of the year, or actually before December 1

Thanks so much for this.

Yes, something has to give.

If it's the price, some people will come out of the woodwork and say this is proof that "price follows hashrate". I will still disagree.

If the hashrate actually goes down (like in 2011), at least part of the reasoning that "hashrate follows price" is supported (namely: "if price is lower than production cost, miners will switch off their equipment").

If nothing gives (bitcoin price is below production cost) we know: Either at least some miners are economically irrational or we're making wrong assumptions about either the production cost or the price miners are able sell at.

Interesting times ahead

I love the technical analysis, and it's good solid math, but there is a flaw I keep noticing (think I commented on another BurtW thread about them a while back...)

The global energy supply available over time isn't a static number as measured today - it will increase annually, and by a decent amount each year (in 2018 we could potentially have an additional 10% more power available globally than we do today.)

In the interest of adding more fundamental data, here's a link to the U.S. Energy Information Administrations projections for US energy production and imports forecasted through 2021. http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/aeo/tablebrowser/#release=AEO2014&subject=0-AEO2014&table=1-AEO2014&region=0-0&cases=full2013full-d102312a,ref2014-d102413a

The price of energy could also spike due to heightened geopolitical volatility playing havoc with supply and demand. (E.g. do you think it will be easier or harder to get oil from Russia/Iraq/the Mid-East in the next four years than it is today, or will things just stay the same? Will we bring more renewable energy online to make up for potential scarcity of any existing energy sources? Enough for a surplus? Will there be no scarcity at all?)

"May you live in interesting times." Keep the data coming BurtW, this is awesome. It might be worth it to correlate the price of BTC with the price of, for example, the NYSE Energy index (http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/nye.id)...

[Driv3n]

Very interesting thread and analysis. It's crazy how much the cost to produce a bitcoin is increasing. Will definitely keep my eye on this thread.

[marcus_of_augustus]

I want to see some good analysis of the thermodynamics behind all this ...

... and if you cannot bring entropy, the second law and the irreversibility of information flow into it I'll probably dismiss it.

[wilth1]

it's also worth considering that many small timers might continue mining and hoarding at a production-price loss whereas mfger/megafarms that sell to cover payables simply would not.

perhaps difficulty increases will slow and the price will naturally follow your analysis, albeit at a more graduated pace? regardless, it will be very interesting to see what happens in the coming months

[greaterfool]

I predict the rise of the portable ultra efficient "my office or co-working space won't notice the power draw" miner There will be a sharper divide between people who are paying for power at scale and those who are using surplus power with no additional realized costs. Make friends with people who have long term contracts in data centers with unused power and empty cages, is my advice.

[BurtW]

To answer a question that has been asked a few times.  This analysis only used the electrical power and estimated cost of that power.  The cost of equimpment is ignored.  Basically the cost of equipment, infrastructure, etc. will effectively reduce the power consumption of the network so this is an estimate of the maximum power the network will rationally attempt to consume given the price of BTC.  In practice it will not consume these numbers due to these other costs factors.

[zvs]

The urban heat island around Shanghai has increased in intensity by over 40% in the last 2 years.

[mikerbiker6]

very interesting, +1.
If we will wait a few more months miners will not let go of their coins this cheaply, so they will sell higher.
But efficiency gets higher and more expensive miners get pushed out, leaving the super efficient miners.
So this means that it will still take many months.
But hodl on.

[Stratobitz]

Great thread. Thanks BurtW for this fantastic analysis on the numbers that drive Bitcoin.

I think it would be impossible to argue that the next few months will be very interesting. In many ways the tables are now turning against the miner manufacturers. Increased difficulty coupled with a sliding price will place the miner companies in a terrible place, where they themselves can no longer use their rigs to mine prior to sale of the miner itself, and also rendering the miner unsellable.

A mining rig company like Bitfury, and also a large Bitcoin holder could in effect deliberately push and hold  BTC prices down and put tremendous pressure on their competitors, if not shut their lights off for good.

Bitcoin will survive. Not so sure about the mining rig producers however.

Strato

[mmeijeri]

I don't think the miner developers are in a bad position at all, I expect retail mining to disappear and mining companies to mine with their own hardware and also sell hardware wholesale to data center operators. They've already made the investments necessary, now they only have recurring costs to deal with. They have their mask sets, now they can cheaply order new wafers every now and then.

[Finksy]

Just thought I'd try to contribute something.  Your model relies on a fixed 1 W/GHs which we know is not realistic, so I thought I'd try to make a model to predict future chip efficiency using past and current developments of both BitmainTech's and Avalon's chips, as they are 2 of the bigger players that have been around for a while.  Please feel free to interject where you see any of my assumptions as unrealistic:



Both Exponential formulas come out somewhat closely, so I feel it could be useful to predict future technology as far as efficiency goes.  We know there has to be a point of diminishing returns.

[ruins]

So next September it will be 381 times harder to mine for BTC.   Unless the price rises to $181,000 to make it equal to mining today.  Something has to give.

why it will be harder to mine for BTC? you mean the price will be down and few people mine?

[ruins]

Humans are not rational beings either.

Many will keep mining at a loss with the hope btc will reach new heights.

well, BTC does have a promising future.