比特幣挖礦是擴大再生能源規模的秘密武器

在亞利桑那州和威斯康辛州建設龐大的人工智慧資料中心，為推動這項變革性技術提供基礎設施。人工智慧確實很熱門。

AI data centers are putting a severe strain on power grids by requiring vast amounts of electricity. By 2026, one estimate forecasts AI will consume about 40 gigawatts (GW) of the projected 96 GW in global power demand from data centers, up from a total demand of 49 GW in 2023. This energy use generates a lot of heat and requires a lot of water to cool down data servers. With an estimated usage of 56 million gallons of water a year from Microsoft's data center in Goodyear, Arizona alone, the local desert communities risk running out of water to accommodate their new power hungry neighbors.

人工智慧資料中心需要大量電力，這給電網帶來了嚴重壓力。據估計，到2026 年，人工智慧將消耗資料中心預計96 吉瓦的全球電力需求中的約40 吉瓦(GW)，高於2023 年49 吉瓦的總需求。 ，需要大量的水來冷卻數據伺服器。據估計，僅位於亞利桑那州古德伊爾的微軟資料中心每年就要消耗 5,600 萬加侖的水，當地的沙漠社區面臨缺水的風險，無法滿足新的電力需求旺盛的鄰居的需求。

On the other hand, while often criticized as an “energy hog,” Bitcoin mining is actually an amazing way to help make power grids more stable and efficient. This is due to a Bitcoin miner’s ability to adjust energy usage in near real-time.

另一方面，雖然比特幣挖礦經常被批評為“能源消耗者”，但它實際上是一種幫助電網更加穩定和高效的神奇方式。這是由於比特幣礦工能夠近乎即時地調整能源使用量。

To keep a power grid at the correct frequency, grid operators must “balance” the power grid by adjusting energy production to match user demand. This process is called “load following.” Historically, increasing and decreasing energy production was the only real-time response action grid operators had available to them. But now, during periods of high or low electricity demand, Bitcoin miners can quickly adjust their power consumption to create a second, real-time response action that grid operators can use to establish balance.

為了使電網保持正確的頻率，電網營運商必須透過調整能源生產以滿足用戶需求來「平衡」電網。這個過程稱為「負載追蹤」。從歷史上看，增加和減少能源生產是電網營運商可以採取的唯一即時回應行動。但現在，在電力需求高或低的時期，比特幣礦工可以快速調整其電力消耗，以創建第二個即時回應行動，電網營運商可以利用該行動來建立平衡。

Since renewable energy production fluctuates with the weather and is difficult to ramp up or ramp down to establish grid balance, Bitcoin mining is proving to be a scalable and economically feasible variable load solution. This new grid balancing pattern, made possible through Bitcoin mining, has now paved the way for use by new, larger and less flexible AI power consumers.

由於再生能源產量隨天氣波動，並且很難透過增加或減少來建立電網平衡，比特幣挖礦被證明是一種可擴展且經濟上可行的可變負載解決方案。這種透過比特幣挖礦實現的新電網平衡模式現已為新的、規模更大且靈活性較差的人工智慧電力消費者的使用鋪平了道路。

But why can't AI simply adjust its energy usage in real-time also? Bitcoin miners’ energy usage has a unique aspect compared to AI data centers. The Bitcoin network is a constant customer that is not adversely affected by miners throttling down or turning off their equipment. However, if an AI data center turns off some of its servers to throttle down AI compute, customers are adversely affected.

但為什麼人工智慧不能簡單地即時調整其能源使用量呢？與人工智慧資料中心相比，比特幣礦工的能源使用具有獨特的一面。比特幣網路是一個穩定的客戶，不會因礦工減少或關閉設備而受到不利影響。然而，如果人工智慧資料中心關閉部分伺服器以限制人工智慧運算，客戶就會受到不利影響。

This flexibility makes Bitcoin mining an effective way to stabilize power grids – especially in helping manage electricity consumption from large AI data centers – because it can quickly respond to fluctuations in electricity supply and demand.

這種靈活性使比特幣挖礦成為穩定電網的有效方法，特別是在幫助管理大型人工智慧資料中心的電力消耗方面，因為它可以快速響應電力供需的波動。

We see states like Oklahoma embracing this model by encouraging Bitcoin mining and its power grid benefits. On May 30, the state senate passed a bill to make the sales of machinery and equipment used for commercial mining tax exempt if the miner provides an adjustable load to the local power producer.

我們看到像俄克拉荷馬州這樣的州透過鼓勵比特幣挖礦及其電網效益來接受這種模式。 5月30日，州參議院通過了一項法案，如果礦商向當地電力生產商提供可調負載，則用於商業採礦的機械和設備的銷售可免稅。

Texas, Scandinavia and Iceland

德州、斯堪的納維亞半島和冰島

Texas has invested heavily in wind energy production, leading to periods that put extra strain on power grids because energy supply often exceeds local demand (especially at night).

德州在風能生產方面投入巨資，導致電網在某些時期面臨額外壓力，因為能源供應往往超過當地需求（尤其是在夜間）。

By increasing their activity during off-peak hours, Bitcoin miners consume this surplus of excess electricity generated from wind energy that would otherwise remain unused due to lack of demand during these periods. Their energy consumption stabilizes the delicate balance between electricity supply and demand and helps prevent the grid from becoming overloaded, which can lead to disruptions such as blackouts.

透過在非尖峰時段增加活動，比特幣礦工消耗了風能產生的多餘電力，否則這些電力將因這些時段的需求不足而未被使用。它們的能源消耗穩定了電力供需之間的微妙平衡，並有助於防止電網過載，從而導致停電等中斷。

During a destructive winter storm in February 2021, Texas experienced severe power outages because it couldn’t meet the sudden surge in electricity demand. Bitcoin miners there were able to shut down their operations quickly, reducing their load and helping to stabilize the power grid during this crisis.

在2021年2月一場破壞性的冬季風暴期間，德州因無法滿足突然激增的電力需求而經歷了嚴重停電。這場危機期間，那裡的比特幣礦工能夠迅速關閉運營，減少負載並幫助穩定電網。

Scandinavia is another region where wind turbines dot the landscape. Here wind energy is produced in excess during off-peak hours and would otherwise be wasted due to lack of immediate demand and storage solutions. Bitcoin mining facilities are dynamically using this surplus, providing a sizable demand while helping maintain equilibrium and overall efficiency within the grid.

斯堪的納維亞半島是另一個風力渦輪機遍布的地區。這裡的風能在非尖峰時段產生過剩，否則會因缺乏即時需求和儲存解決方案而浪費。比特幣挖礦設施正在動態地利用這種盈餘，提供相當大的需求，同時幫助維持網格內的平衡和整體效率。

In Iceland, where geothermal and hydroelectric power production is abundant, Bitcoin mining operations have become integral to the energy market. The country’s renewable energy sources generate more electricity than its population can reasonably use. Bitcoin miners consume this excess electricity, providing a flexible, consistent demand that supports the nation’s renewable energy industry.

在地熱和水力發電豐富的冰島，比特幣挖礦業務已成為能源市場不可或缺的一部分。該國再生能源發電量超出了人口合理使用量。比特幣礦工消耗了多餘的電力，提供了靈活、一致的需求，支持國家的再生能源產業。

Making Renewable Energy More Viable

讓再生能源更加可行

Bitcoin miners’ stabilizing effect on power grids has another interesting benefit: improving the financial viability of renewable energy projects. How?

比特幣礦工對電網的穩定作用還有另一個有趣的好處：提高再生能源專案的財務可行性。如何？

Wind and solar often provide lower-cost electricity compared to fossil fuels like coal, which is a crucial factor for Bitcoin miners seeking to maximize profitability. However, renewables often face challenges due to the intermittency of their power generation and the gap between supply and demand. For example, solar panels produce the most energy during the day when demand is relatively low, while wind turbines may generate more power at night.

與煤炭等化石燃料相比，風能和太陽能通常提供成本更低的電力，這對於比特幣礦工尋求最大化獲利能力來說是一個關鍵因素。然而，由於發電的間歇性和供需缺口，再生能源經常面臨挑戰。例如，太陽能電池板在白天需求相對較低時產生最多的能量，而風力渦輪機可能在夜間產生更多的電力。

But by providing a constant and predictable demand, Bitcoin miners can bridge this gap and ensure a steady revenue stream for wind farms in Texas and Scandinavia and hydropower plants in Iceland. (Norway generated a whopping 98% of its energy from renewable resources in 2020, including 92% from hydropower). In addition, this positive financial impact from Bitcoin miners helps make renewable energy projects more economically attractive and can

但透過提供持續且可預測的需求，比特幣礦工可以彌補這一差距，並確保德州和斯堪的納維亞半島的風電場以及冰島的水力發電廠的穩定收入來源。 （2020 年，挪威 98% 的能源來自再生資源，其中 92% 來自水力發電）。此外，比特幣礦工的這種積極的財務影響有助於使再生能源項目更具經濟吸引力，並且可以