There's an important reason why every person praising this thread is somehow invested in bitcoin and every energy expert responding to it is either exasperated or infuriated.

Bitcoin mining being a net positive to the environment = climate denial grade misinformation https://twitter.com/yassineARK/status/1360343382556483587
First of all: this isn't just deceptive. It's a straight up, old fashioned made up. At most, around 39% of energy consumed for bitcoin mining is from zero emissions sources. https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/faculty-research/centres/alternative-finance/publications/3rd-global-cryptoasset-benchmarking-study/

https://twitter.com/yassineARK/status/1360343390089474050
First of all: this isn't just deceptive. It's a straight up, old fashioned made up. At most, around 39% of energy consumed for bitcoin mining is from zero emissions sources. https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/faculty-research/centres/alternative-finance/publications/3rd-global-cryptoasset-benchmarking-study/ https://twitter.com/yassineARK/status/1360343390089474050
First of all: this isn't just deceptive. It's a straight up, old fashioned made up. At most, around 39% of energy consumed for bitcoin mining is from zero emissions sources. https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/faculty-research/centres/alternative-finance/publications/3rd-global-cryptoasset-benchmarking-study/ https://twitter.com/yassineARK/status/1360343390089474050
There's this weird idea that comes up in the article linked: Bitcoin mining occurs using hydro power that would've otherwise been "wasted" because those plants are in grid-constrained areas, and the mining consumes "surplus"
@alexhern actually dug into this here https://alexhern.substack.com/p/bitcom-02b?r=3huz6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy

- Wouldn't it be better to just...use the resource efficiently? (CHINA HAS A LOT OF COAL THAT NEEDS TO BE OFFSET)
- Much of it isn't even "stranded"
@alexhern actually dug into this here https://alexhern.substack.com/p/bitcom-02b?r=3huz6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy- Wouldn't it be better to just...use the resource efficiently? (CHINA HAS A LOT OF COAL THAT NEEDS TO BE OFFSET)- Much of it isn't even "stranded"
@alexhern actually dug into this here https://alexhern.substack.com/p/bitcom-02b?r=3huz6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy- Wouldn't it be better to just...use the resource efficiently? (CHINA HAS A LOT OF COAL THAT NEEDS TO BE OFFSET)- Much of it isn't even "stranded"
As @DigiEconomist points out in this very good thread, there is seasonal variability too. The average hides the real-time intensity of bitcoin mining. https://twitter.com/DigiEconomist/status/1360573955959119874
Probably the worst bit to me is the idea that using 'spare' methane gas to mine bitcoin is somehow an *environmental benefit* (!!!). This is where it all really breaks down and the sheer physical pain of the contortions becomes clear.
Probably the worst bit to me is the idea that using 'spare' methane gas to mine bitcoin is somehow an *environmental benefit* (!!!). This is where it all really breaks down and the sheer physical pain of the contortions becomes clear.
Probably the worst bit to me is the idea that using 'spare' methane gas to mine bitcoin is somehow an *environmental benefit* (!!!). This is where it all really breaks down and the sheer physical pain of the contortions becomes clear.
The nest of links leads back to this:

A company called 'Crusoe' that takes gas destined for flaring, and burns it to power bitcoin mining.

"We’re bringing some of that high-demand computing into the oil field" (!!!)

https://web.archive.org/web/20201102135154/https://trib.com/business/energy/the-unlikely-marriage-of-cryptocurrency-and-crude/article_b6e3fd6c-e485-5e22-9a16-3e292dc79cfc.html
The nest of links leads back to this: A company called 'Crusoe' that takes gas destined for flaring, and burns it to power bitcoin mining. "We’re bringing some of that high-demand computing into the oil field" (!!!) https://web.archive.org/web/20201102135154/https://trib.com/business/energy/the-unlikely-marriage-of-cryptocurrency-and-crude/article_b6e3fd6c-e485-5e22-9a16-3e292dc79cfc.html
The nest of links leads back to this: A company called 'Crusoe' that takes gas destined for flaring, and burns it to power bitcoin mining. "We’re bringing some of that high-demand computing into the oil field" (!!!) https://web.archive.org/web/20201102135154/https://trib.com/business/energy/the-unlikely-marriage-of-cryptocurrency-and-crude/article_b6e3fd6c-e485-5e22-9a16-3e292dc79cfc.html
Guess what folks: the fossil fuel industry absolutely loves this idea, including my very own local Equinor.

Do you know why?

IT'S BECAUSE THEY LIKE BURNING FOSSIL FUELS, CREATING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND PROFITING FROM DOING THAT.
Guess what folks: the fossil fuel industry absolutely loves this idea, including my very own local Equinor. Do you know why? IT'S BECAUSE THEY LIKE BURNING FOSSIL FUELS, CREATING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND PROFITING FROM DOING THAT.
Guess what folks: the fossil fuel industry absolutely loves this idea, including my very own local Equinor. Do you know why? IT'S BECAUSE THEY LIKE BURNING FOSSIL FUELS, CREATING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND PROFITING FROM DOING THAT.
No, skimming a teeny tiny quantity of potentially flared fossil gas and burning it to power computer stuff isn't environmentally friendly.

Leaving fossil fuels in the ground and **NOT BURNING THEM** is environmentally friendly.
The absolute core misunderstanding at the heart of this is a really, really important one and very relevant to modern debates and discourse about energy.
Zero emissions energy sources - solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, nuclear - are all about 9 quadrillion times better than any fossil fuel.

However: they are not infinite, impactless, costless or free.
I live in Norway: the hydro capital of the world. When these plants were built, they overran local communities. China's hydro is notorious for the same

Energy isn't infinite either: new EV charging is putting pressure on the grid! https://twitter.com/KetanJ0/status/1357400800088248324

https://ejatlas.org/conflict/alta-river-hydro-power-plant-norway
What this basically means is that the struggle of building a new energy system, managing those new impacts and getting rid of the old impacts means *consumption* has to be lean, sensitive and thoughtful. And not wasteful, or egregious.
A lot of people are actually trying really hard at this. Energy efficiency folks, for instance.

In 2018, US EE programs 211 TWh in 2018.

Current annualised bitcoin consumption TWh: 42 - 285 TWh

https://www.edisonfoundation.net/-/media/Files/IEI/publications/IEI_Energy-Efficiency-Report_Mar2020.ashx

https://cbeci.org/ 
We know the fossil industry *really* really begins to crack when the pincer movement tightens: rapidly growing wind and solar, rapidly falling demand. Add a range of policy, social, economic and activism fights all running hot, with sweat and tears and everything.
There is no room for a fundamentally inefficient, hungry and wasteful system in this fight. If it's falling like water to fill 'gaps' and consume waste clean power, then it just shows that waste exists where it shouldn't exist.
That someone like Elon Musk both cannot recognise the straight-up basic energy accounting errors in that thread, nor the deeper fundamental problems around what fighting the fossil fuel industry really takes, is just so, so telling.
Some other threads to read: https://twitter.com/nicksdjohnson/status/1360463488364077062 https://twitter.com/DigiEconomist/status/1360573947801202694
^^ This whole thing is another example of rapidly diverging ideas about the shape of climate action: what it means, how fast it goes, how much the world changes (or doesn't change), who wins and who loses.

Very important stuff.

/end (will add appendices probably....)
Appendix A: https://twitter.com/alicebell/status/1360273235674341380
Appendix B: when you got OILMAN MAGAZINE (and OILWOMAN MAGAZINE) on your side, you know you're fighting the good fight!

(phew - converted safely into CO2, everyone's friend!)
Appendix B: when you got OILMAN MAGAZINE (and OILWOMAN MAGAZINE) on your side, you know you're fighting the good fight! (phew - converted safely into CO2, everyone's friend!)
Appendix B: when you got OILMAN MAGAZINE (and OILWOMAN MAGAZINE) on your side, you know you're fighting the good fight! (phew - converted safely into CO2, everyone's friend!)
Appendix B: when you got OILMAN MAGAZINE (and OILWOMAN MAGAZINE) on your side, you know you're fighting the good fight! (phew - converted safely into CO2, everyone's friend!)
Appendix B: when you got OILMAN MAGAZINE (and OILWOMAN MAGAZINE) on your side, you know you're fighting the good fight! (phew - converted safely into CO2, everyone's friend!)
Appendix C.1: They're really not hiding their intention to partner with the fossil fuel industry here.

This is the guy who was tagged in the original thread's flaring pic - and the blog post from which the pic was taken). There is *no* secret here.

https://archive.is/wip/XG9gz 
Appendix C.1: They're really not hiding their intention to partner with the fossil fuel industry here.This is the guy who was tagged in the original thread's flaring pic - and the blog post from which the pic was taken). There is *no* secret here. https://archive.is/wip/XG9gz 
Appendix C.1: They're really not hiding their intention to partner with the fossil fuel industry here.This is the guy who was tagged in the original thread's flaring pic - and the blog post from which the pic was taken). There is *no* secret here. https://archive.is/wip/XG9gz 
Appendix C.1: They're really not hiding their intention to partner with the fossil fuel industry here.This is the guy who was tagged in the original thread's flaring pic - and the blog post from which the pic was taken). There is *no* secret here. https://archive.is/wip/XG9gz 
Appendix C.1: They're really not hiding their intention to partner with the fossil fuel industry here.This is the guy who was tagged in the original thread's flaring pic - and the blog post from which the pic was taken). There is *no* secret here. https://archive.is/wip/XG9gz 
Appendix C.2: This even comes with a handy calculator so you can plug in how much environmental harm you cause by flaring or venting methane, and see the profit from harming the environment by burning it to mine bitcoin:
Appendix C.2: This even comes with a handy calculator so you can plug in how much environmental harm you cause by flaring or venting methane, and see the profit from harming the environment by burning it to mine bitcoin:
Appendix C.2: This even comes with a handy calculator so you can plug in how much environmental harm you cause by flaring or venting methane, and see the profit from harming the environment by burning it to mine bitcoin:
Appendix C.3: Remember when the fossil fuel industry were merchants of doubt? When oil companies were poisonous misinformers?

Now, Musk is liking threads that justify partnerships with massive O&G companies to greenwash the harm they cause. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1033494277643481089
Appendix C.4: Getting a sneaking suspicion that these folks aren't on Team Climate Action here, folks
Appendix C.4: Getting a sneaking suspicion that these folks aren't on Team Climate Action here, folks
Appendix C.4: Getting a sneaking suspicion that these folks aren't on Team Climate Action here, folks
Appendix C.4: Getting a sneaking suspicion that these folks aren't on Team Climate Action here, folks
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