Bitcoin Mining Embraces Renewables as Coal Usage Drops to 20% in 2024

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03.04.2025 170 times read 7 Comments Read out

Bitcoin Mining Shifts Towards Renewable Energy Sources

The Bitcoin mining industry has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, moving away from fossil fuels and adopting more sustainable energy practices. According to a report by the MiCA Crypto Alliance and the data platform Nodiens, the reliance on coal for Bitcoin mining has decreased dramatically, from 63% in 2011 to just 20% in 2024. This shift highlights the industry's growing commitment to reducing its environmental impact.

Renewable energy usage in Bitcoin mining has been increasing at an average rate of 5.8% per year. This trend is expected to continue, with further reductions in the carbon footprint of the industry anticipated as sustainability becomes a priority. However, the global coal consumption tells a different story. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that worldwide coal usage reached a record 8.8 billion tons in 2024, driven by demand in developing countries such as India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The IEA predicts that this high level of coal consumption will persist until at least 2027.

Year Coal Usage in Bitcoin Mining Global Coal Consumption
2011 63% Not specified
2024 20% 8.8 billion tons

Looking ahead, the MiCA report outlines five potential scenarios for Bitcoin's energy consumption by 2030, based on varying price points. These scenarios range from a pessimistic $10,000 per Bitcoin to an optimistic $1 million per Bitcoin. In a mid-range scenario, where Bitcoin is valued at $250,000, renewable energy could account for 59.3% to 74.3% of the total energy consumption in mining, excluding nuclear energy. The report also predicts that Bitcoin mining's energy consumption will peak around 2030, regardless of price fluctuations.

Despite concerns about energy usage, the report emphasizes the industry's gradual adoption of environmentally friendly practices. This shift reflects a growing awareness of environmental impacts and a commitment to long-term sustainability.

"The Bitcoin mining sector is steadily moving towards greener practices, showcasing a commitment to reducing its environmental footprint," the MiCA report states.
  • Coal usage in Bitcoin mining dropped from 63% in 2011 to 20% in 2024.
  • Renewable energy usage in mining is increasing by 5.8% annually.
  • Global coal consumption reached 8.8 billion tons in 2024, with high demand in developing nations.
  • Bitcoin mining's energy consumption is expected to peak by 2030.

Key Takeaway: The Bitcoin mining industry is making strides towards sustainability by reducing its reliance on coal and increasing the use of renewable energy. However, global coal consumption remains a challenge, particularly in developing countries.

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Wow, this is a really fascinating topic. It's good to see the environmental conversation finally catching on in the crypto space—it's been a long time coming. That said, what stands out to me here is the contrast between the progress in Bitcoin mining and the global coal consumption numbers. I mean, isn't it kinda ironic that mining is getting cleaner while overall coal usage is breaking records? Makes me wonder if part of the PR push for "green mining" is more about optics than real impact. Like, sure, Bitcoin mining accounts for a fraction of global emissions at best, so is focusing on it a bit of a distraction from the bigger issue of global coal consumption?

I also noticed no one in the comments has really touched on the scenarios they laid out for Bitcoin's future energy use by 2030. Don’t you guys find it kinda wild that in the "optimistic" case where Bitcoin hits 1 million dollars per coin, the power usage implications could be massive despite renewables? Renewable energy is the goal, obviously, but scaling it that much—fast? Feels slightly unrealistic given how slowly renewable infrastructure moves forward in most countries, even rich ones. And that’s assuming the world can even maintain the mining rate.

Also, that stat about renewables growing by 5.8% per year—cool, but where’s that energy coming from? Are mining companies actually using 100% clean power or just buying carbon credits to appear green? It’s not always clear, and tbh, I feel like the article glossed over that nuance. Transparency in how those numbers are reported would go a long way.

Anyway, I think there's real potential here, but we gotta stay skeptical and keep pushing for accountability.
I found it kinda surprising that no one here has mentioned the massive discrepancies between these optimistic renewable adoption numbers in Bitcoin mining and the struggles developing countries face with coal. Like, yeah, Bitcoin mining is getting greener, but let's be real—doesn't it feel a bit disjointed when the article shifts from the industry's improvements to the IEA's coal consumption stats in places like India and Vietnam? I mean, it’s great that mining is slowly becoming more sustainable, but the article doesn’t really show how this “green mining” movement impacts—or doesn’t impact—the regions contributing the most to global coal use.

Also, I can’t help but notice the lack of focus on costs. Transitioning to renewables in any industry isn't cheap, and while Bitcoin mining companies are for-profit and incentivized to cut costs long-term, I'm curious about what’s funding this shift. Are they relying on subsidies? Partnerships with governments? It feels like a big question mark. Some transparency on *how* this renewable adoption is accelerating—beyond just saying it’s growing by 5.8% annually—would have added a lot to the article.

Let’s also not forget the broader implications of those transition costs. If Bitcoin hits $1 million per coin, hypothetically, is more clean energy really the guaranteed outcome? High prices could also lead to smaller mining operations getting priced out, leaving bigger, richer players to monopolize the benefits of renewable sources. That might look *green* on paper but doesn’t necessarily spread sustainability evenly across the board. Kinda like greenwashing, but at a structural level.

Overall, while it’s encouraging to hear about these trends, I felt like there’s still a lot about equity, funding, and long-term accountability in this whole “green crypto” movement that isn’t being discussed enough. Anyone else feel that?
If coal use in Bitcoin mining really dropped to 20%, why isn’t there more detail on how they’re verifying these numbers—anyone else feel like transparency on that is still missing?
While the article focuses on Bitcoin mining's progress, isn't it concerning that global coal usage keeps rising because developing nations aren't getting enough support to adopt renewables?
Yeah, the whole shift towards renewables in Bitcoin mining is definitely encouraging, but something that kinda bugs me is how uneven it seems compared to the overall coal situation. Like, in the global context, does Bitcoin mining going cleaner actually *move the needle*? I mean, sure, dropping coal usage from 63% to 20% is impressive, but then you look at the 8.8 billion tons of coal being burned globally and it's like… a drop in the ocean, right?

Also, something the article doesn’t really dive into is whether this switch to renewables by miners is being driven more by necessity than just goodwill. Let’s be real—renewable energy is often cheaper in the long run, and with mining already being super profit-driven, could it just be that they’re following the money, not the morals? Not saying that’s a bad thing, but it’d be nice if the article touched on that angle more.

And about those 2030 scenarios... Something about that feels off to me, especially the idea that energy consumption might *peak*, no matter Bitcoin's price. Like, if BTC hits that insane $1 million mark they mentioned, won't miners keep pushing harder, energy peak or not? I mean, when there’s that much money on the table, who’s *not* gonna jump on the mining bandwagon? Maybe I’m missing something here, but it feels overly optimistic to predict caps on mining energy, especially with how unpredictable crypto markets are.

I also think the whole reporting transparency thing is a good point. Are these mining operations really as green as they claim, or is there some “creative accounting” going on with carbon credits and such? It’s easy to slap an eco-friendly label on your company while cutting corners behind the scenes—would love to see better independent auditing in the industry.

Anyway, not trying to bash the progress here, 'cause progress *is* progress. Just saying, we shouldn’t celebrate too hard while there’s still so much smoke (literally) to clear on a global scale.
One thing I didn't see mentioned in the comments is how regional energy policies might impact all this. Like, if developing countries are still ramping up coal usage, wouldn't that mean mining operations located there would struggle to fully switch to renewables? The 20% coal figure is impressive, but it’d be interesting to know how much of that clean energy shift is concentrated in specific regions versus being global. Maybe the report could've broken that down more clearly?
Ok first of all, i gotta say its great that bitcoin mining is like trying to clean up there act w/ green energy and all that. BUT something stuck with me from the data in the artikle that nobodie talked about yet (I think). If coal is only 20% now in bitcoin but global coal is BREAKING records, does that mean someone ELSE is using it now?!?!? Like, is this “clean mining” just making coal more available for other bad actors? idk i just feel like theres a "shift" happening not a "reduction". ?

Also, omg renewable energy growing by 5.8% is cool but let’s be honest, doesnt that still seem slow?? Call me crazy, but how are we gonna match demands if bitcoins price goes to like 1 Million? (lol, imagine that… what a lottery win!) Renewables sound good in theory but seriously, building wind farms and solar panels takes years and NIMBY's (not in my backyard ppl) always complain!!! Like, its not so easy as the article makes it sound. Just sayinggg.

Oh also that chart abt energy or whatever is funny. Cool numbers but why no compare to other industries like Amazon warehouses or TikTok data centers? ?‍♀️ Wouldn’t that make more sense than looking only at coal vs bitcoin?? IDK maybe its just me but like, more context needed HAH.

Anyway, sry if this was a rant!! Awesome read tho, kinda inspired me to look into mining shares or something lol.