Bitcoin mining essentially could require zero subsidies or payments from the government while using any and all stranded or wasted energy available

How toget?

A UK-based Bitcoin organization is advocating to the new Labour government to implement a Bitcoin mining-based strategy to combat a growing problem of local electricity demand.

Bitcoin mining offers numerous potential use cases beyond maintaining network security and integrity, such as utilizing GPUs to power machine learning and large gaming setups.

Bitcoin Policy UK is advocating for its use to support sustainable grids and renewable electricity generation.

A report released by the organization on July 10 suggested that the Bitcoin mining industry, which is a major purchaser of electricity, could be a key to making the intermittent supply of power from renewable grids both “robust and viable.”

According to the report, Bitcoin mining stands to be one of the few, if only, technologies that provide a “completely elastic demand for spare renewable energy.” It said this sets a “floor” price and monetizes the supply of energy that would otherwise go unutilized or even “curtailed at cost.”

It argued that it essentially could require zero subsidies or payments from the government while using any and all stranded or wasted energy available.

n Texas, Bitcoin mining is already in play as a flexible load. Miners provide an interruptible load that can be instantaneously shut off to respond to grid demand and repower after the demand dissipates.

The report said this could solve the issue of the commercial viability of the UK’s energy security strategy targets, providing assurance for renewable energy providers that there is a buyer for all the energy they produce and their projects wouldn’t go underutilized.

Bitcoin Policy UK is pushing for this new strategy in light of the UK elections that were held on July 4, in which a new Labour government took power and subsequently announced its plan to establish a National Wealth Fund worth 7.3 billion euros ($9.3 billion) to support green industries.

In response to the win, the local crypto community called for a more consistent policy on crypto.

Freddie New, Bitcoin Policy UK’s co-founder and head of policy, told Cointelegraph that the organization is using this moment to advocate for good policies that “protect and preserve the rights” of the millions of UK citizens who hold Bitcoin.

According to the organization’s co-founder the previous government had “high hopes” of turning the UK into a “crypto hub" but fell short of that goal.

He elaborated that the Bitcoin mining industry has “considerable” untapped potential for stabilizing and monetizing sustainable power grids while reducing methane and biogas emissions if co-locating on farms or near landfills.

New said the organization is looking forward to working with the new government on Bitcoin-related policies.