Bitcoin network’s green electricity share surpasses 56.7%, Finland uses waste heat for heating, mining is becoming a new tool for renewable energy financing and grid stability
(Background: Florida reboots “Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve” proposal! Plans to use 10% of state public funds to buy Bitcoin)
(Additional context: North Korean hackers set a record in 2025 by stealing $2.02 billion in cryptocurrencies, with a money laundering cycle of about 45 days)

Table of Contents

• Mining farms become environmental economic incentives rather than moral incentives
• ROI of renewable energy shortened from eight years to three and a half years
• Waste gases turn into heat, thermal energy recycling creates secondary income
• Policy momentum increases, mining becomes a catalyst for energy transition

Helsinki, early 2026, is currently experiencing sub-zero temperatures, but apartment heating no longer relies on coal-fired boilers. The heat source for residents comes from waste heat generated by processing Bitcoin (BTC) transactions. This scene echoes the data released on the same day: ESG analyst Daniel Batten and the Digital Asset Research Institute (DARI) released a report on the 9th, indicating that the proportion of green energy used in the Bitcoin network has reached 56.7%.

Mining farms become environmental economic incentives rather than moral incentives

Bitcoin mining has been considered a high-energy-consuming industry for years, but the latest statistics reveal a shift in the energy structure. According to data posted by Batten on X platform, the share of sustainable energy in mining has increased from 34% in 2021 to 56.7% today. The driving force is the “stranded asset” logic: miners actively seek surplus hydro, wind, and solar power in remote areas to reduce costs. The report emphasizes that this market mechanism weakens the criticism of “mining prolonging fossil fuel life,” as mining farms become the first buyers, allowing renewable energy projects to generate cash flow before grid connection, improving financial structures.

ROI of renewable energy shortened from eight years to three and a half years

Renewable energy projects often face queues of over ten years for grid connection, with slow capital recovery being the biggest pain point. Bitcoin mining farms offer a “no grid income” solution: once the project is built, cash flow is immediate, and the investment payback period can be shortened from the traditional average of eight years to three and a half years. Mining machines also have the “flexible load” feature, allowing operators to adjust power consumption within seconds during grid shortages or green energy fluctuations, increasing grid stability and attracting more institutional funds.

Waste gases turn into heat, thermal energy recycling creates secondary income

After completing their work, the large amounts of heat emitted by mining machines are being redefined. In Finland, mining company MARA uses waste heat recovery technology to provide heating for about 80,000 residents; after coal-fired boilers are phased out, CO₂ emissions decrease accordingly. The agricultural sector is also replicating this model. Equipment manufacturer Canaan, in collaboration with Canada and the Netherlands, is using mining heat to grow tomatoes in greenhouse demonstration projects, forming an energy closed loop. Burning methane released from landfills and oil fields for power generation and mining has offset about 7% of the network’s carbon emissions. Since methane’s warming effect is much higher than CO₂, this method shows a “negative carbon” benefit on carbon accounting.

Policy momentum increases, mining becomes a catalyst for energy transition

The Trump administration emphasized energy independence and grid efficiency, and the model of Bitcoin miners integrating into local grids is seen as a strategic fit. The report suggests that even costly technologies like ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) are regaining commercial viability because miners provide stable load benefits. Industry analyst Daniel Batten summarized in the report:

“This could be the most important sustainable innovation of this century, transforming otherwise wasted energy into a force that maintains the stability of the global financial network.”

Bitcoin mining has shifted from being a target of ESG criticism to becoming an early financier of renewable energy and a stabilizer for the power grid. Future investor assessments of the mining industry will need to look beyond coin prices and consider the dual value of energy arbitrage and waste heat economy.