For years, the 'pollution' of Bitcoin was the main argument of its detractors: farms filled with ASICs devoured electricity and, according to alarmist headlines, 'consumed more than entire countries.' Two years later, the data tells a different story.
Studies from the Bitcoin Mining Council and the University of Cambridge estimate that, by 2025, more than 60% of the energy used to mine BTC will come from renewable sources, nearly double that of 2021.
What changed and what does it mean for Latin America?
From coal to solar panels
Miners from the United States, Canada, Paraguay, or western China have redirected their operations towards wind farms, hydroelectric dams, and floating solar plants. The emblematic case is the Broken Hill solar farm in Australia: it powers hundreds of devices with a 100% solar generator and already serves as a model for similar projects in Catamarca or Chihuahua, where solar radiation is abundant and land is cheap.
Brazil, for its part, experiments with 'hydroelectric bitcoin': turbines producing nighttime surpluses sell that idle energy to mining pools installed near the dam and monetize what was previously wasted. Researchers from UFRJ estimate that with the surpluses from Itaipú alone, dozens of green megawatts could be added to the global mining network without pressuring local demand.
Marketing or genuine commitment?
The suspicion of greenwashing persists. Some companies declare 'clean energy' but do not publish their real mix. To differentiate speech from practice, on-chain audits have emerged: projects like Clean Incentive Registry register in blockchain the origin of the electricity for each mined block, so exchanges or ESG funds can filter the BTC generated with fossil sources.
In the United States, states like Texas grant tax exemptions to those who prove 100% renewable usage; in Paraguay, a preferential rate is being studied for miners operating with the surplus energy from Yacyretá; and the European Union is discussing a 'green seal' that rewards certified blocks with lower fees.
Economic advantages (besides environmental ones)
Switching to renewables is not just a matter of reputation. Long-term contracted solar or wind energy is cheaper and more stable than buying spot electricity based on gas or coal. With the halvings reducing the reward, every satoshi saved in energy costs protects profit margins.
At the same time, a cleaner energy mix neutralizes regulatory risk: miners that already consume green energy do not fear bans like the one experienced in 2021 in the Chinese province of Sichuan, where farms were closed due to their dependence on coal.
The critics' response
Those who still question Bitcoin highlight that its total consumption —although it is now cleaner— remains high. However, recent studies compare apples to apples: the Visa network consumes more energy than mining when all of its banking infrastructure, ATMs, and data centers are included. And unlike banking, Bitcoin allocates most of that energy to securing a system that anyone can audit and use without permission.
Moreover, when mining absorbs surpluses that would otherwise be wasted (flared gas in shale deposits, electricity dumped during off-peak hours), it acts as a buyer of last resort and stabilizes the grids.
Latin America rides the green wave
Paraguay – Canadian groups are installing farms next to dams to take advantage of the hydroelectric surplus.
Argentina – Patagonia attracts miners that use wind and natural cold to cool equipment; the province of San Luis launched a cryptocurrency mining hub with solar panels.
Mexico – Local companies are negotiating with CFE for the installation of mining containers in wind farms in Oaxaca, reducing peaks of unconsumed generation.
Governments see a double benefit: tax revenue and financing of clean energies, without direct subsidies.
Sustainable mining: the new standard
Competition pushes operators to migrate towards green; institutional investors demand ESG metrics; and regulators prepare incentives that favor those who demonstrate low emissions.
The result is a virtuous circle: the more renewable the mix, the greater the legitimacy and adoption of Bitcoin.
The ecological impact is no longer the greatest threat to BTC
The energy transition of mining is not merely a public relations gesture: it reduces costs, attracts institutional capital, and disarms the environmental argument that had hindered many countries and companies. If gold —historically a symbol of store of value— depends on heavy machinery and diesel to extract a few ounces, Bitcoin in 2025 will be mined, for the most part, with sun, wind, and water.
There is still a long way to go: increasing the transparency of the electricity supply and expanding renewable infrastructures in regions with dirty energy. Even so, the process already seems irreversible. In the next decade, the public debate about BTC will focus less on 'how much energy it consumes' and more on 'how clean and efficient it can become.'
Did you know your next satoshi might come from a Latin American solar park? The green revolution of the hashrate is already here, and with it, Bitcoin is gearing up for a future where sustainability and decentralization go hand in hand.
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Image by EyeEm – Freepik
