Qatari Research Shows Environmental Cost of Bitcoin

The rise of Bitcoin—an online, international and anonymous currency—is causing significant environmental damage through the energy required to power the underlying computer systems, according to new research.

“If I send you one Bitcoin, it uses as much energy as you’d need to power your house for a month,” says Jon Truby, an associate professor of law at Qatar University. “That isn’t sustainable.”

In a research paper recently published in the journal Energy Research & Social Science, Truby highlighted the environment impact of Bitcoin and suggested ways to reduce the emissions created by the vast storerooms of machinery needed to underwrite the currency. But other experts disagree and say the current Bitcoin system is workable and less environmentally damaging than minting real-world currencies like dollars, pounds and euros.

Bitcoin is a virtual form of payment. It does not exist in any physical form and does not require a bank. It was invented in 2009 and there…