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Bitcoin mining is not only a massive energy consumer but also has a significant water footprint. Alex de Vries, a researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, reveals startling facts in a new study published in Cell Reports Sustainability. The research highlights the growing concern over Bitcoin's environmental impact, particularly its water usage, according to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/29/23979858/bitcoin-mine-cryptocurrency-water-use-analysis-energy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Verge</a>.
In 2021, when <a href="https://ultramining.com/news/en/impending-bitcoin-halving-may-trigger-major-hashrate-decline-say-experts/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bitcoin's price</a> peaked, the cryptocurrency's mining operations used around 1,600 gigaliters of water. This amount equates to a small swimming pool (16,000 liters) for each Bitcoin transaction, dwarfing the water consumption of a typical credit card transaction by about 6.2 million times. These figures are based on direct water usage in cooling systems and indirect consumption from <a href="https://ultramining.com/news/en/crypto-mining-with-flare-gas-a-green-solution-or-environmental-setback/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">electricity</a> generation at power plants.
Despite a drop in Bitcoin prices in 2022, the currency's value has rebounded, leading to an expected increase in water consumption. De Vries projects a rise to 2,300 gigaliters globally in the current year. In the <a href="https://ultramining.com/news/en/pennsylvania-a-new-hub-for-cryptomining-ignites-environmental-concerns/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">United States</a>, the epicenter of Bitcoin mining, the annual water usage is comparable to that of a city the size of Washington, D.C.
This escalating water usage is particularly concerning in drought-prone areas. Bitcoin mines, akin to large <a href="https://ultramining.com/news/en/crypto-miners-shift-gears-ai-is-the-new-gold-rush/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">data centers</a>, rely heavily on water for cooling their specialized computers that operate non-stop. The study estimates these numbers assuming Bitcoin mines use water-based cooling systems typical in large <a href="https://ultramining.com/news/en/crypto-miners-shift-gears-ai-is-the-new-gold-rush/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">data centers</a>. However, some mines and data centers reduce water use by employing alternative cooling methods, like immersing computers in a non-conductive liquid.
A potential solution to reduce both water and <a href="https://ultramining.com/news/en/crypto-mining-with-flare-gas-a-green-solution-or-environmental-setback/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">electricity</a> consumption is to eliminate the mining process, as demonstrated by Ethereum. De Vries argues that adopting similar methods for Bitcoin could significantly lower its environmental impact, a shift yet to be embraced by the industry.

Bitcoin’s Water Footprint: A Rising Environmental Concern

Ultramining_Eng

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