Bitcoin's real energy use questioned as Ethereum founder criticizes BTC
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A founding member of Ethereum has claimed that Bitcoin uses nearly 1% of the world’s electricity, but different sources put it substantially lower.
The ever-raging debate around Bitcoin’s energy consumption has been re-ignited, with founding member of Ethereum Anthony Donofrio claiming that Bitcoin is using “way too much” energy.
According to figures from Digiconomist, Bitcoin (BTC) currently uses 0.82% of the world’s power while Ethereum (ETH) uses 0.34%. Ethereum researcher Justin Drake posted the figures to his 56,000 followers that Donofrio retweeted, stating:
If bitcoin is really using nearly 1% of the energy on earth that is way too much for a pet rock.
Ethereum proponents are attempting to take shots at Bitcoin while simultaneously promoting Ethereum’s upcoming transition to proof-of-stake, Drake added another tweet moments later that read: “Ethereum post-merge: 0.000% of world.”
However the validity of the figures are in doubt.
Even Drake was forced to acknowledge alternative sources of data in a later tweet which estimated energy consumption figures at nearly 60% lower.
Data sourced from Digiconomist, which markets itself as a platform that “exposes the unintended consequences of digital trends,” has drawn criticism from blockchain industry professionals in the past. The most notable of which is fellow Ethereum developer Josh Stark who called out the publication for frequently presenting the worst-case scenario when it comes to blockchain technology.
In November last year, Stark published a Twitter thread that questioned the accuracy of Digiconimist’s research methodology. Stark pointed out that almost all of the figures concerning blockchain power consumption were at the “very high end” of any theoretical outcome, especially when compared to more rigorous sources like the University of Cambridge.
Where Digiconomist claims that Bitcoin currently consumes 204 terawatt hours (TWh) worth of electricity per year, the University of Cambridge’s Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index estimates that Bitcoin’s real consumption is much closer to 125 TWh, a 39% difference.
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