Can anyone clarify if the yearly energy consumption for cryptocurrency mining is on par with the total energy usage of a country like Poland? Additionally, are outdated coal and gas power stations being reactivated to fulfill this demand? I’m trying to grasp why a speculative digital asset, which seemingly lacks solid fundamentals, requires such a colossal energy commitment. Any detailed insights or explanations would be greatly appreciated.
hey, im not 100% sure but some peaks do match small nations. estimates vary alot and numbers can be off. its kinda wild to see older plants comin back for this too. really depends on load vs. nation-wide steady use, i guess.
hey everyone, i’ve been thinking about this too. it seems like on busy days the energy drawn by mining ops can indeed rival what some smaller nations push out annually. now, i’m a bit curious if this comparision is really fair since national energy stats and mining energy use are calculated kinda diff. sometimes the mining data is more of an estimate, and might swing a bit depending on the network activity. also, i’ve seen talk about old coal and gas plants being brought back to life to support the mining boom, but at the same time, there’s a move towards renewables in some cases. has anyone found more recent numbers or regional examples that highlight this shift? what do you think is the most realistic picture of how mining’s energy consumption stacks up against a country like poland in your view?