How bitcoin keeps the air Clean?

[Alone055]

This is not about you, OP, I know you are just presenting a solution to a problem, but this is for those who usually talk about keeping the environment and atmosphere clean and talk about the causes of extreme greenhouse gases. I wonder why do they always target Bitcoin mining when there are other, bigger industries burning more gases and using more energy which are relatively causing more damage to the atmosphere and are bigger threats for the ozone layer? I mean, I know, Bitcoin mining requires energy as well, but is it bigger than some of other industries that run such big machinery in their factories?

If we are to find solutions to this problem, we should first focus on the bigger problems and then come to the smaller ones. I don't think Bitcoin mining uses even 10% of the equivalent energy that other industries use worldwide, so it shouldn't be the centre of the focus when it comes to solving the problem of greenhouse gases, etc. This is just my opinion, I could be wrong, or people might not agree with me, but that's what I think about this subject.

[adaseb]

Correct me if I am wrong because this happened maybe 5-10 years ago but a large known oil company actually said they were going to do this. They would generate bitcoins which would be a  by product of oil extraction, from what I recall the project only lasted a year or so, no idea why they stopped it. Could of been that bitcoin was in a bear market and they just assumed nobody cared about crypto anymore.

The oil company didn't need the mining revenue they did this more for publicity. So it is possible to do this. But keep in mind this would only be a fraction of the total mining power. It would not really make a decent and make the air cleaner. Right now I think half of the energy used to mine bitcoin is from environmentally friendly sources, so not all of it is produced by pollutants.

[BlockNomad]

A lot of people overlook that Bitcoin mining doesn’t necessarily *create* new fuel consumption—it just uses electricity. If miners use energy that would otherwise go to waste, like excess natural gas flaring or surplus renewable energy, it can actually reduce environmental harm rather than increase it.

For example, some projects use flare gas from oil fields to power mining rigs instead of burning it off into the atmosphere. Others tap into solar or hydroelectric energy that might otherwise be curtailed. So, in theory, Bitcoin mining can be aligned with cleaner energy practices if implemented thoughtfully.

It’s not automatically “clean,” but with the right approach, it can actually make better use of resources that would otherwise pollute.

[kotajikikox]

The question in the topic makes you wonder how Bitcoin will actually prevent air pollution.
Bitcoin mining requires a lot of energy, and if Bitcoin mining is done by burning fuel, then there will be environmental pollution. In that case, how will environmental pollution be prevented?
We basically waste a large portion of the oil we extract from oil mines by releasing it into the atmosphere and burning it. If we do not waste that amount of oil, if the direct fuel is used for Bitcoin mining, we will be able to prevent a large portion of environmental pollution.
If Bitcoin mining is done on the side without wasting the amount of energy that is usually wasted from thermal power plants and coal-fired power plants, then we will be able to do Bitcoin mining while preventing environmental pollution. This could be one of the strategies for reducing environmental pollution.

Nowadays there are a lot of new developments regarding green bitcoin mining. Renewable energy could power over 70% of Bitcoin (BTC) mining operations by 2030, according to a report published by MiCA Crypto Alliance andh data analytics firm Nodiens.

The report highlighted that this shift comes as miners move away from fossil fuels in favor of cleaner alternatives like wind, solar, hydro, and energy from waste.



So critics of bitcoin who use environment as a factor of why bitcoin is "bad" might be proven wrong soon. And at some point, there will be no argument about this at all.

[hafiztalha]

Correct me if I am wrong because this happened maybe 5-10 years ago but a large known oil company actually said they were going to do this. They would generate bitcoins which would be a  by product of oil extraction, from what I recall the project only lasted a year or so, no idea why they stopped it. Could of been that bitcoin was in a bear market and they just assumed nobody cared about crypto anymore.

The oil company didn't need the mining revenue they did this more for publicity. So it is possible to do this. But keep in mind this would only be a fraction of the total mining power. It would not really make a decent and make the air cleaner. Right now I think half of the energy used to mine bitcoin is from environmentally friendly sources, so not all of it is produced by pollutants.

I think crypro mining is best for the environment because that is consuming the harmful gase which could be fetal for our health . People are interested in Bitcoin and they want to mine this token and they want to learn this by experts but that process or very difficult because that need a high amount if energy which cost is very high and a lager amount of computers are required for this . Many people are in profit who mine at least one token and environment is very safe with Bitcoin and if there will be more mining then we will see healthy environment in the future but that required interested people who want to do hard work.The people who are doing hard work they are successful people and they will try to mine more tokens.

[abaeze]

The arguments you have raised are indeed relevant and a matter of deep observation today. While Bitcoin may seem like an “energy-consuming monster” on the one hand, on the other hand, it can also act as an Energy Recycler. Instead of wasting excess or wasted electricity after generating electricity by directly burning oil/gas, if it is used in mining, then both waste and pollution can actually be reduced, as a result we will get new resources and it will be of great use to the economy, if the surplus of renewable energy is used, clean energy adoption will increase. But one thing to be careful here is that if someone burns excess coal-gas just for mining, it will harm the environment. So the solution depends on the right policy and the right energy source.

[tread93]

The question in the topic makes you wonder how Bitcoin will actually prevent air pollution.
Bitcoin mining requires a lot of energy, and if Bitcoin mining is done by burning fuel, then there will be environmental pollution. In that case, how will environmental pollution be prevented?
We basically waste a large portion of the oil we extract from oil mines by releasing it into the atmosphere and burning it. If we do not waste that amount of oil, if the direct fuel is used for Bitcoin mining, we will be able to prevent a large portion of environmental pollution.
If Bitcoin mining is done on the side without wasting the amount of energy that is usually wasted from thermal power plants and coal-fired power plants, then we will be able to do Bitcoin mining while preventing environmental pollution. This could be one of the strategies for reducing environmental pollution.

Wouldn't that be nice, I think a lot of enterprises are already working towards this goal and essentially its in their interest to do so as well because I believe such acts can allow for certain tax deductions if im not mistaken. But you know what i think the volcano mining already fits this description for clean energy use

[Abu-Naim]

If Bitcoin mining is done on the side without wasting the amount of energy that is usually wasted from thermal power plants and coal-fired power plants, then we will be able to do Bitcoin mining while preventing environmental pollution. This could be one of the strategies for reducing environmental pollution.

Since the only thing we need is electricity and mining equipment that will be powered by electricity, then there are several ways we can achieve that through renewable energy because there are many ways to generate electricity that are not the same with fossil fuels.

Hydro powers are environmental friendly, they don’t release carbon dioxide that will contaminate the environment, and now we also have solar energies that are now been been used to generate electricity, so we can use them to also power mining equipments also to get free environmental pollution.

[Mr Reporter]

If Bitcoin mining is done on the side without wasting the amount of energy that is usually wasted from thermal power plants and coal-fired power plants, then we will be able to do Bitcoin mining while preventing environmental pollution. This could be one of the strategies for reducing environmental pollution.

Since the only thing we need is electricity and mining equipment that will be powered by electricity, then there are several ways we can achieve that through renewable energy because there are many ways to generate electricity that are not the same with fossil fuels.

Hydro powers are environmental friendly, they don’t release carbon dioxide that will contaminate the environment, and now we also have solar energies that are now been been used to generate electricity, so we can use them to also power mining equipments also to get free environmental pollution.

The potential for renewable energy sources to power Bitcoin mining, reducing the industry's reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating its environmental impact. Here are some key points:

 Hydroelectric power is a clean and renewable source of energy that can be used to power mining equipment too and still best to make use of or.

Solar power is another viable option, allowing miners to harness energy from the sun and reduce their carbon footprint.

[famososMuertos]

Phew! That reminds us that the issue isn't progressing; it remains stuck on old problems. Although these issues are old, that doesn't mean they've been overcome. I believe the reality is that their impact remains a complex challenge. In the long run, I think this search for cheap, traditional energy continues to be the main direction that needs to change. I believe the future is promising. We even discussed fission energy. It sounds like science fiction, but I actually brought it up on our local board a while ago.
 e.g. source:https://www.terawulf.com/wulf-mining

[Makus]

Indeed these waste can be converted to useful energy for bitcoin beside they're not useful to the companies and that's why they flaring them. If miners could device a means to make agreement with these companies to convert those wastage to useful energy. Well I think people are smart and they must have thought of something like this but the demerits could be the reason it has not yet been initiated probably from these companies because, if its a matter of radiation then mining machine then we are safe because mining machines produce little radiation. But those gases especially from oil companies are know to contain other hydrocarbons with natural gas which are not easily stored or controlled and that why they flare them as waste.

[allthebitandbobs]

Its an interesting concept, and I have already read about it on some portals.  But, if this thing is so great at cutting pollution and making extra profit, why arent all the energy companies doing it all over the place?  What are the main obstacles?  Is it too hard to do, are there too many rules, or does it just not make enough money to put miners at all those random, far-off flare sites?

As a company, they can have lots of money on the bank, so the obstacles, hardships, rules, etc... can only be overcome by them. They can surely put enough miners to fill the space they have and can even acquire more spaces to put more miners, but the thing is that, this may not be their interest and that is why they didn't do it.

Can it be avoided? Of course, not. The emission can be minimized, though. But there's nothing to be so guilty about. Essentially all human activities leave carbon footprints.

It can be avoided since BTC is not mandatory but I don't think people will drop BTC only to make the air more cleaner because BTC still gives them a benefit and then like you said, all acts of humans still has a carbon footprint on them.

In fact, some can be more of it than compared to Bitcoin due to their properties or how they are made. I think the emissions can be minimized on Bitcoin if we use renewable types of energies like Solar, Wind, Water, etc... but before, when BTC is still new and mining is still easy, the emission must also be small since mining can only be done even on simple devices but now that the mining difficulty has increased, it now needs a high-powered machines which could emit more greenhouse gases.

[yhiaali3]

The idea sounds very good in theory, because removing the gases emitted by burning oil and coal and converting them into energy for Bitcoin mining could reduce these environmentally harmful emissions and also contribute to reducing the electricity consumption of public grids that Bitcoin draws.

But in practice, this is very difficult. Do you think converting gases emitted by oil and coal into electricity is that easy? It requires special technologies that only advanced industrial countries possess, and it is very expensive, making it uneconomical for miners.

[AmoreJaz]

The idea sounds very good in theory, because removing the gases emitted by burning oil and coal and converting them into energy for Bitcoin mining could reduce these environmentally harmful emissions and also contribute to reducing the electricity consumption of public grids that Bitcoin draws.

But in practice, this is very difficult. Do you think converting gases emitted by oil and coal into electricity is that easy? It requires special technologies that only advanced industrial countries possess, and it is very expensive, making it uneconomical for miners.

It may not be that easy but once it has been set-up, it can truly save a lot of resources. Just like tapping the solar and wind energy. The initial investment is quite expensive but once it is already in operational, the maintenance is very minimal while reaping its benefits. As the world is finding alternative green and efficient energy, we can say that tapping whatever btc market can offer is no surprise. And if we can find it cheaper in the future, why not? Humans will always continue to search alternatives in this life so to speak.

The arguments you have raised are indeed relevant and a matter of deep observation today. While Bitcoin may seem like an “energy-consuming monster” on the one hand, on the other hand, it can also act as an Energy Recycler. Instead of wasting excess or wasted electricity after generating electricity by directly burning oil/gas, if it is used in mining, then both waste and pollution can actually be reduced, as a result we will get new resources and it will be of great use to the economy, if the surplus of renewable energy is used, clean energy adoption will increase. But one thing to be careful here is that if someone burns excess coal-gas just for mining, it will harm the environment. So the solution depends on the right policy and the right energy source.

Getting such waste out of btc industry surely needs equipment and resources. This is why a lot are not yet tapping that side of bitcoin. But once the equipment and other materials become economical, I would say, we will have another alternative source of energy. Sure, most bitcoin enthusiasts are not yet on the stage of tapping such potential energy because of the cost involved. But once it becomes affordable, I would say, nothing is stopping them from exploring such route of alternative energy.

[X-ray]

The idea sounds very good in theory, because removing the gases emitted by burning oil and coal and converting them into energy for Bitcoin mining could reduce these environmentally harmful emissions and also contribute to reducing the electricity consumption of public grids that Bitcoin draws.

But in practice, this is very difficult. Do you think converting gases emitted by oil and coal into electricity is that easy? It requires special technologies that only advanced industrial countries possess, and it is very expensive, making it uneconomical for miners.

Such thing like converting gases to electricity is one thing I never heard of, but the caveat is, if such thing didn't exist by now big fat chance it's because it's ineffective and the benefit doesn't outweigh the advantage.

The most plausible way to keep environment clean is definitely by renewable energy. Some countries are already creating solar panel farm and producing huge amount of electricity.

Though I don't know the profitability if being used for mining.

[OcTradism]

Such thing like converting gases to electricity is one thing I never heard of, but the caveat is, if such thing didn't exist by now big fat chance it's because it's ineffective and the benefit doesn't outweigh the advantage.

The most plausible way to keep environment clean is definitely by renewable energy. Some countries are already creating solar panel farm and producing huge amount of electricity.

Though I don't know the profitability if being used for mining.

Electricity can be made from gas like biogas, heat and other things and it's not new thing technologically. Managing a Bitcoin mining farm is complicated and to reuse byproducts from Bitcoin mining such as heat needs investment in infrastructure too. It's possible with big Bitcoin mining farms but with small Bitcoin mining farms, they mostly ignore this step.

Reports show that Bitcoin minning industry contributes less environmental issues than other industries and people only want to pain an environmental harmful contributor for Bitcoin mining, it's fud that can be debunked very easily.

Debunking the "Bitcoin is an environmental disaster" argument

[ghan7300]

There can be following ways :
1. Bitcoin can use clean energy like wind, sun, or water to run its computers.

2.Some Bitcoin miners choose places with extra clean energy that would go to waste.

3.This helps reduce pollution from dirty power like coal.

4.When more people use clean energy for Bitcoin, the air stays cleaner for everyone.

[348Judah]

Bitcoin encourages the production of energy from renewable sources, such as wind farms and solar power plants, because this type of energy is practically free and creates no pollution

The use of a renewable energy source for any thing that has to do with production or human utility should be encourage, but before i go further, let me remind you of the way this has gone viral and widely accepted, because they are so effective to use and cost less than what we got charged from the government energy supplies.

Bitcoin is also used as a kind of  energy battery  for example, in wind or solar power plants, when there is strong wind or very sunny weather and the demand for electricity is low, the surplus energy would otherwise be wasted.

If you compare a bitcoin mining rig to that of a natural resource mining rig, you will understand their difference, because one is there to pollute and contaminate the environment, while another is there to fix the disaster one is causing for the benefits of man, I've come across bitcoin mining using the charcoal fossils fuels burnt and the gas escaping from it were trapped and serves as an energy source for the mining of bitcoin, instead of being released to waste in the atmosphere constituting global warming.

[serjent05]

If Bitcoin mining is done on the side without wasting the amount of energy that is usually wasted from thermal power plants and coal-fired power plants, then we will be able to do Bitcoin mining while preventing environmental pollution. This could be one of the strategies for reducing environmental pollution.

So how could Bitcoin minimize the environmental pollution if the coal-fueled power plants are already emitting these pollution?  I do not think Bitcoin can help on this matter, since whether this power generated by the power plants that causes the pollution is consumed or not, they still emit the pollution.  The good thing here is that, the burned fuel that should have been wasted is now use in mining Bitcoin but the pollution emitted still affects the environment.

The only thing that can minimize pollution is by using green energy.  It is not Bitcoin that helps clean the air, it is the choice of the person who wants to power his Bitcoin mining farm.  Bitcoin mining is just an operation that requires power and is not a tool to clean the air.

[yhiaali3]

The idea sounds very good in theory, because removing the gases emitted by burning oil and coal and converting them into energy for Bitcoin mining could reduce these environmentally harmful emissions and also contribute to reducing the electricity consumption of public grids that Bitcoin draws.

But in practice, this is very difficult. Do you think converting gases emitted by oil and coal into electricity is that easy? It requires special technologies that only advanced industrial countries possess, and it is very expensive, making it uneconomical for miners.

Such thing like converting gases to electricity is one thing I never heard of, but the caveat is, if such thing didn't exist by now big fat chance it's because it's ineffective and the benefit doesn't outweigh the advantage.

Yes, there is a possibility of converting gases emitted by fossil fuels (oil and coal) into electricity, but it is a complex method that requires special technologies and high costs.

The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is a thermodynamic process that converts low-temperature heat sources into electricity using an organic fluid, instead of water, with a lower boiling point. This makes it ideal for waste heat recovery from industrial processes, biomass, and geothermal sources, allowing for more efficient generation of power from heat that would otherwise be lost. ORC systems consist of an expander (like a turbine), a generator, and a condenser, utilizing the organic fluid to drive the process and produce clean, cost-effective energy.

https://www.ormat.com/en/company/news/view/?ContentID=8819

I think this technology is a bit expensive, but there are some rich countries that use it, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.