2 days ago
New study reveals concerning side effect of cryptocurrency operations: 'Increasingly central to discussions'
Kyrgyzstan is turning its abundant water resources into a surprising solution for one of cryptocurrency's biggest problems: its massive energy consumption.
Akchabar reported that the Central Asian nation generates about 90% of its electricity from hydropower, making it an ideal location for environmentally conscious crypto mining operations.
Nearly 40% of Central Asia's water resources flow through Kyrgyzstan's rivers. This geographic advantage allows the country to offer truly green digital currency production.
Green cryptocurrency mining uses renewable energy sources instead of dirty fuels to power the massive computer systems needed to create digital currencies like bitcoin. Traditional mining operations often rely on coal- or gas-powered electricity, contributing to air pollution and rising global temperatures.
Kyrgyzstan's mining farms automatically become part of an environmentally friendly crypto industry because they run on clean hydroelectric power. The country uses no more than 11% of its total hydropower potential, leaving plenty of room for expansion.
Cryptocurrency's energy appetite has become an environmental concern as the industry grows rapidly worldwide. Akchabar noted that bitcoin alone consumes as much electricity annually as Sweden's entire energy system, according to the University of Cambridge.
Most of the world's electricity still comes from coal-, oil-, and gas-fired power plants, which means traditional crypto mining adds large amounts of heat-trapping gases to our atmosphere.
This connection between digital currencies and real-world pollution inspired the Crypto Climate Accord, a digital version of the Paris Climate Agreement aimed at eliminating crypto's carbon footprint.
"Environmental concerns and sustainable development are increasingly central to discussions about the future of cryptocurrencies," Mariia Indina of Akchabar wrote.
This shift becomes especially important when you consider that leading Western mining companies are just setting goals to phase out dirty energy by 2030, while Kyrgyzstan already offers a clean alternative today.
Do you think we use too much plastic in America?
Definitely
Only some people
Not really
I'm not sure
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Switching crypto operations to renewable energy sources like hydropower directly reduces the pollution created by digital currency production. Mining farms use clean electricity to eliminate the connection between cryptocurrency creation and heat-trapping gas pollution.
The shift toward cleaner crypto mining is gaining momentum globally, but it remains an energy-intensive process even with renewable sources.
However, operations powered by hydroelectric dams, wind farms, or solar panels produce digital currencies without adding heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere.
In Kyrgyzstan, crypto miners consumed about 92.5 million kilowatt-hours in 2024, just 0.51% of the country's total electricity use, per Akchabar. For comparison, regular households used 75% of the nation's power, showing that mining operations can coexist with everyday energy needs when appropriately managed.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
