French lawmakers propose to use surplus electricity to mine BTC to save 80 million euros in annual electricity waste.

In 2024, France wasted approximately 80 million euros worth of electricity. To address this issue, a group of MPs submitted Amendment No. 547 to the National Assembly, calling for the inclusion of Bitcoin mining in the national energy plan.

From a technical perspective, Bitcoin mining machines have the ability to start and stop within seconds, making them an ideal choice for absorbing excess nuclear power in France. With over 70% of the electricity supply coming from nuclear power in France, the design of these reactors is not intended to rapidly scale down during periods of decreased demand. However, mining farms can timely intervene to consume the surplus electricity, effectively balancing the load on the power grid.

In terms of industrial layout, legislators plan to build mining centers near power plants and in old industrial areas that are idle due to factory closures. These areas not only have network connectivity and spatial conditions, but they can also create job opportunities for declining regions. In addition, the heat generated by mining machines can be used for home heating or factory heating, reducing energy costs for the community.

However, the plan still faces the problem of balancing climate goals with carbon costs. Despite the fact that France's power grid is dominated by low-carbon energy sources, mining still consumes electricity, and the introduction of too many mines could force the authorities to extend the operating hours of aging nuclear reactors or use natural gas backup power plants, which could adversely affect France's stated climate protection and emission reduction goals. As a result, councils need to explicitly limit mining capacity and tie operations to actual electricity surpluses.

It is worth noting that France is not an isolated case. Belarus is launching a study to utilize Bitcoin mining farms to absorb surplus energy; Pakistan has reserved 2000 megawatts of electricity for the construction of Bitcoin and AI data centers; and Texas also views Bitcoin mining as an important means to alleviate fluctuations in electricity supply.

In summary, this flexible and controllable demand for power processing is key to the global grid's ability to address the challenges posed by green but unpredictable energy sources such as wind and solar.

What do you think about France's plan to use surplus electricity for Bitcoin mining? Is it a good solution to energy waste or a potential threat to environmental goals? Leave your insights in the comments.

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