It’s not just electricity — Bitcoin mines burn through a lot of water, too
Lights illuminate application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) devices used for Bitcoin mining. | Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bitcoin mines aren’t just energy-hungry, it turns out they’re thirsty, too. The water consumption tied to a single Bitcoin transaction, on average, could be enough to fill a small backyard pool, according to a new analysis. Bitcoin mines are essentially big data centers, which have become notorious for how much electricity and water they use.
Bitcoin’s water footprint is growing, according to the analysis published today in a commentary in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability. That’s an issue to watch as the price of Bitcoin recovers from a spiraling crypto winter.
The study was conducted by Alex de Vries, a PhD…
