Hydropower Surpasses Natural Gas as Bitcoin Mining's Primary Energy Source, Low-Carbon Mix Reaches 59.4%

According to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, hydropower has officially overtaken natural gas as the largest single energy source for Bitcoin mining. Low-carbon energy sources now account for 59.4% of the network's electricity mix, up from 52.4% in previous reporting periods.

While overall power demand for Bitcoin mining reached approximately 190 terawatt-hours annualized—a 38% increase over an 18-month window—total greenhouse gas emissions grew by only 20% over the same period, reaching 48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The divergence reflects how a higher proportion of hashrate powered by hydroelectric and other renewable installations has decoupled emissions growth from rising computational activity.