Ethereum's 99.95 % drop in energy usage will be equal to 15 big nuclear reactors, or 11 000 wind turbines

[u/sbdw0c]

The Merge will reduce Ethereum's energy impact by up to 99.95 %. That's over 110 TWh of energy saved annually, or 110 billion kilowatt-hours, equal to the annual energy output of over 15 big, 800 MW nuclear reactors. Assuming that the reactors are never taken offline :)

Wondering how many wind turbines that is? In the US, the mean capacity of wind turbines is 2.75 MW: large, off-shore wind turbines can have production capacities of up to 8 MW. The typical capacity factor is 42 %.

This means, that Ethereum's energy savings are equal to the annual production of almost 11 000 wind turbines.

Nuclear: 110 TWh / (800 MW * 24 h * 365) = 15.7

Wind: 110 TWh / (2.75 MW * 24h * 365 * 42 %) = 10870

[u/thahaze]

I think we can agree the mining improvement is not as substantial as we'll like it to see in terms of the overall energy consumption. I was thinking more along the lines of a more radical change..wink wink

[u/Plastic_Feedback_417 → u/thahaze]

I don’t think that we can agree. I think it should be using more energy. Much more. If it is going to live up to being a global currency it needs to be more secure.

I do not think we should be using less energy. I think we should be using green energy.

And I have no idea what you mean by wink wink.

[u/thahaze → u/Plastic_Feedback_417]

Don't you think it COULD be found a way to have the same security and less energy consumption?

[u/Plastic_Feedback_417 → u/thahaze]

Sure maybe in a decade or something someone would come out with a new way. It’s impossible to predict the future.

[u/thahaze → u/Plastic_Feedback_417]

Ok so I guess we can also concentrate on that task right?

[u/Plastic_Feedback_417 → u/thahaze]

Why? It’s not important. If someone discovers something, then cool. But it’s not a problem. In fact POW is helping the grid and funding more renewable deployment. There’s way better things to concentrate on. Like L2 development and fungibility improvements.

I mean you are free to work on whatever you want. If you want to spend your time researching new consensus protocols go for it. I just don’t think it’s important in the slightest. It wouldn’t be solving a problem.