What Are the Environmental Impacts of Proof of Work Mining?

Proof of Work (PoW) mining consumes a significant amount of energy because it requires vast computational power to solve cryptographic puzzles. This high energy consumption has raised environmental concerns, particularly when the electricity is generated from fossil fuels, contributing to carbon emissions.

The environmental debate also includes the issue of electronic waste from outdated mining hardware. However, the industry is seeing a growing trend towards using renewable energy sources and utilizing stranded or excess energy to mitigate these impacts.