Is Hydropower The Key to Bitcoin Mining?

Energy consumption is one factor faced by Bitcoin mining. How can it be avoided? Learn more about the topic.

Why Go For Energy Conservation?

As it comes as a new green energy company claiming to have the answer to a problem plaguing the digital currency industry, these cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin continues to grow in price and popularity having put larger and larger demands on the world’s energy supply as although the currencies are digital, they nonetheless require massive amounts of electricity and computing power to mine. 

In this context, it is noted that the surge in electricity consumption has caused some severe concern among developers and investors alike particularly at a stage when digital currencies seem to be close to breaking through into a mainstream world of investment and business with an Austrian company claiming to be able to use hydropower in order to fuel the energy needs of the industry.

How Did Hydrominer Gmbh Raise $2.8 Million

It was then that the company called HydroMiner GmbH had raised about $ 2.8 million in funds through an initial coin offering according to a report by Bloomberg. Therefore the startup plans to use the cash to install high powered computers at hydropower plants to result in the company will be able to utilize the energy produced at those plants to mine for new digital currencies reducing both costs and polluting as a result.

According to the co-founder as well as the CEO of HydroMiner Nadine Damblon, a lot of people are worried about the high energy consumption of cryptocurrencies which is a huge factor. As this isn’t just surprising it is also given that the electricity used by the computing systems supporting the blockchain technology undergirding Bitcoin has risen by 43%.

Thereby for the perspective, the total usage amounts to about 28 terawatt-hours per year that is more than the national power usage of the country of Nigeria with its186million inhabitants and what more as much of the energy being used is produced with fossil fuels. 

Why Are Miners Face Increasing Barriers To Profitability

Thereafter one other reason that hydropower may be beneficial is the steep slope of profitability as the miners were experiencing that according to an analysis by Citi group these miners may need the price of Bitcoin to reach as little as $ 300,000 per coin for the mining operations to remain profitable. However, this estimate is based on current growth rates for mining and the electricity consumption associated with it.

Thereby in the face of these steep barriers HydroMiner, as well as other companies like it, are likely to find many strong supporters in the mining community where Damblon explains that the company mines only with renewable energy as there will be more blockchain adoption if the energy problem can be handled this way and as Bitcoin continues to climb in price, the alternative energy sources for mining may become increasingly desirable.

All About USB Bitcoin Miner And How Does It Work?

For the amateurs, Bitcoin can be earned by purchasing them using dollars or other currencies by selling goods or services as well as receiving payments via Bitcoin or by one of the more skillful methods, Bitcoin mining. Therefore the Bitcoin mining is performed using dedicated electronic devices called miners that have high computing capacity where the cryptocurrency mania spreads around the world with USB powered mining devices becoming popular for their ease of use, seamless connectivity and lower power consumption. 

Learn About How Do USB Bitcoin Miners Work?

Hereby Bitcoin mining is the only way to validate and release new cryptocurrency into circulation as individuals or groups get incentives to participate in the system and validate the related transactions making Bitcoin mining an attractive activity. The fact is that thereafter a USB Bitcoin miner that is connected to a computer with suitable software thereby performs the mining function at a certain speed of hashing as well as enhance the hashing output with multiple miners can be plugged in together, as an example attaching six miners that offer 335 mega hashes per second can generate a cumulative 2 gigahashes of mining power.

This is how the Bitcoin mining process involves verification of transactions and their addition to the blockchain through which new bitcoins are released. There is a standard computer that usually has only 2 to 4 USB ports as a USB hub is used to plug in the multiple USB miners with USB hub assembly is connected to a computer installed with software capable of controlling the USB miners and their mining operations. Therefore the software also facilitates real-time monitoring of the performances of the USB miners. The commonly used software includes MacMiner, Asteroid, MinePeon, and BFGMiner. It is here that instead of connecting to the standard PC or laptop that the USB Bitcoin miner’s setup can be connected to other smaller low-cost computer devices like Raspberry Pi offering suitable capacity to run the miners.  

The Bottom Line

As it comes with lower setup costs, the USB miners offer an easy and fun way to learn about the nuances of cryptocurrency mining as however there are concerns about the possibility of reaping profits as high power consumption still dents a blow to achieving net profits from the operation.

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