Bitcoin’s Massive Energy Consumption Hides Opportunities for Sustainable Solutions

Key Takeaways

• Bitcoin has an average daily energy usage of 250 GWh.
• The U.S. has a higher Bitcoin mining hashrate than China, influenced by global electricity costs.
• However, experts said Bitcoin mining may help to unlock new opportunities for the energy market.

Bitcoin’s energy consumption has raised concerns worldwide, with its power demands comparable to that of entire nations.

As Bitcoin approaches its 21-million-coin limit, mining becomes increasingly resource-intensive. Unlike some cryptocurrencies with unlimited supply, more than 90% of Bitcoin has already been mined.

Bitcoin’s Annual Energy Consumption

Due to its immense power demands, Bitcoin’s energy consumption has become a growing concern.

With an average daily consumption of 250 GWh , Bitcoin’s energy usage is comparable to that of entire countries, making it an issue worth addressing in the context of global energy sustainability.

To put this into perspective, Bitcoin’s daily energy consumption—equivalent to nearly 305 days of energy usage for Chad, and 228 days for Somalia—shows just how much power the network demands.

Over the course of a year, Bitcoin consumes 91,510 GWh, which is greater than the total energy consumption of more than 80 countries, including nations with significant populations and industries.

In a more localized sense, Bitcoin’s daily energy consumption could power approximately 8.4 million U.S. homes for 24 hours, highlighting its massive scale relative to residential power demands.

Down From a 2022 Peak

Bitcoin’s electricity consumption peaked in early 2022 but remains high. Statista’s estimates suggest that in 2025, its energy use will be comparable to that of Australia or the Netherlands.

These figures assume that miners reinvest earnings into more powerful hardware, but since no central authority tracks crypto mining energy use, exact numbers remain uncertain.

The latest available estimates indicate that the U.S. had a higher Bitcoin mining hashrate than China. However, these figures rely on IP address tracking, which has limitations.

According to Statista, differences in electricity costs worldwide continue to influence where Bitcoin mining operations are established.

Bitcoin Mining Outlook