{ "meta": { "title": "D-Central — CO2 to Mine 1 Bitcoin by Canadian Province", "description": "Average grid GHG intensity (gCO2eq/kWh) x network kWh-per-BTC = kilograms of CO2 to mine one whole bitcoin, for 10 Canadian provinces across 3 hardware tiers. Carbon intensity from ECCC NIR + CER; kWh/BTC single-sourced from the Cost-to-Mine model at the July 2026 difficulty snapshot.", "generated": "2026-07-17T17:34:17+00:00", "network_snapshot": { "month": "July 2026", "difficulty": 127170500429040, "block_subsidy_btc": 3.125, "kwh_per_btc": { "s21": 728257.52047824091278016567230224609375, "s19": 1432239.79027387383393943309783935546875, "bitaxe": 825358.523208672995679080486297607421875 } }, "version": "1.0", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "license_name": "CC BY 4.0", "source": "https://d-central.tech/co2-to-mine-bitcoin-by-province/", "record_count": 10, "provenance": "Grid carbon intensity: ECCC National Inventory Report + Canada Energy Regulator (average operational generation intensity, latest reported year, per-row source + confidence). kWh/BTC: computed live from network difficulty and miner efficiency via the D-Central Cost-to-Mine model (hashrate cancels).", "methodology": "kg CO2/BTC = grid intensity (gCO2eq/kWh) x kWh-to-mine-1-BTC(tier) / 1000. Uses AVERAGE operational GENERATION intensity. Caveats: (1) a new mining load may draw MARGINAL power (often gas), which can differ from the average; (2) generation intensity differs from grid-supplied/consumption intensity in provinces that import/export heavily; (3) operational excludes lifecycle (hydro/nuclear/wind have small non-zero lifecycle emissions).", "disclaimer": "Estimates for comparison, not a certified carbon accounting. Grid intensity varies year to year and hour to hour; kWh/BTC moves with difficulty." }, "rows": [ { "province_code": "QC", "province_name": "Quebec", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 1.1999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875, "dominant_source": "Hydro ~94%", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "high", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 873.8999999999999772626324556767940521240234375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 0.86999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 1718.700000000000045474735088646411895751953125, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 1.7199999999999999733546474089962430298328399658203125, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 990.3999999999999772626324556767940521240234375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 0.9899999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375, "source_name": "CER Provincial & Territorial Energy Profiles — Quebec (NIR-derived)", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/quebec.html", "notes": "Cleanest large grid in Canada and a major net hydro exporter, so grid-supplied intensity approximately equals generation intensity. ECCC NIR 2024-preliminary shows ~2 g." }, { "province_code": "MB", "province_name": "Manitoba", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 1.3000000000000000444089209850062616169452667236328125, "dominant_source": "Hydro ~97%", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "high", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 946.700000000000045474735088646411895751953125, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 0.9499999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 1861.90000000000009094947017729282379150390625, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 1.8600000000000000976996261670137755572795867919921875, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 1073, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 1.0700000000000000621724893790087662637233734130859375, "source_name": "CER Provincial & Territorial Energy Profiles — Manitoba (NIR-derived)", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/manitoba.html", "notes": "Among the cleanest grids in the world; net hydro exporter, so consumption approximately equals generation." }, { "province_code": "BC", "province_name": "British Columbia", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 14, "dominant_source": "Hydro ~87-90% (incl. Site C)", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "high", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 10195.600000000000363797880709171295166015625, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 10.199999999999999289457264239899814128875732421875, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 20051.4000000000014551915228366851806640625, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 20.050000000000000710542735760100185871124267578125, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 11555, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 11.5600000000000004973799150320701301097869873046875, "source_name": "CER Provincial & Territorial Energy Profiles — British Columbia (NIR-derived)", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/british-columbia.html", "notes": "Hydro-dominated plus some biomass/wind and minor gas. In drought years BC net-imports gas-fired power, nudging consumption ~1-4 g higher (immaterial). ECCC NIR 2024-preliminary ~17 g." }, { "province_code": "NL", "province_name": "Newfoundland & Labrador", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 17, "dominant_source": "Hydro ~95% + Holyrood oil backup", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "high", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 12380.399999999999636202119290828704833984375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 12.3800000000000007815970093361102044582366943359375, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 24348.0999999999985448084771633148193359375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 24.35000000000000142108547152020037174224853515625, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 14031.100000000000363797880709171295166015625, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 14.0299999999999993605115378159098327159881591796875, "source_name": "CER Provincial & Territorial Energy Profiles — Newfoundland & Labrador (NIR-derived)", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/newfoundland-labrador.html", "notes": "Churchill Falls / Muskrat Falls hydro; residual intensity is the Holyrood oil-fired thermal backup on the island grid. Most Churchill Falls output is exported to Quebec under contract." }, { "province_code": "ON", "province_name": "Ontario", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 60, "dominant_source": "Nuclear ~51% + hydro ~24% + gas ~16%", "data_year": "2024", "confidence": "medium", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 43695.5, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 43.7000000000000028421709430404007434844970703125, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 85934.39999999999417923390865325927734375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 85.93000000000000682121026329696178436279296875, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 49521.5, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 49.52000000000000312638803734444081783294677734375, "source_name": "ECCC NIR 2024 (preliminary) + IESO grid emissions update (CER 2022 baseline 35 g)", "source_url": "https://www.ieso.ca/Powering-Tomorrow/2024/Six-Graphs-and-a-Map-2024-Annual-Planning-Outlook-and-Emissions-Update", "notes": "Ontario has RISEN out of the low teens: gas backfill during nuclear refurbishment pushed 2022's 35 g to ~60 g generation / ~74 g consumption by 2024. Still ~84% emissions-free and structurally low-carbon — disclosed as a rising trend, not an error." }, { "province_code": "PE", "province_name": "Prince Edward Island", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 265, "dominant_source": "Imports ~69% from NB grid (on-island generation ~99% wind)", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "low", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 192988.2000000000116415321826934814453125, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 192.990000000000009094947017729282379150390625, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 379543.5, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 379.54000000000002046363078989088535308837890625, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 218720, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 218.719999999999998863131622783839702606201171875, "source_name": "CER PEI profile + ECCC NIR consumption (grid-supplied) intensity", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/prince-edward-island.html", "notes": "CONSUMPTION basis. PEI generates ~all wind (~3 g) but imports ~69% of the power it uses from New Brunswick, so a miner there actually draws NB's fossil-influenced grid. This row uses PEI's grid-supplied/consumption intensity (~265 g), NOT its unrepresentative 3 g generation figure — the one province where generation intensity must not be used for a footprint." }, { "province_code": "NB", "province_name": "New Brunswick", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 330, "dominant_source": "Nuclear ~40% + hydro ~23% + fossil", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "medium", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 240325, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 240.31999999999999317878973670303821563720703125, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 472639.099999999976716935634613037109375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 472.6399999999999863575794734060764312744140625, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 272368.2999999999883584678173065185546875, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 272.3700000000000045474735088646411895751953125, "source_name": "CER Provincial & Territorial Energy Profiles — New Brunswick (NIR-derived)", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/new-brunswick.html", "notes": "Volatile year to year with Point Lepreau nuclear availability (NIR shows 226-362 g across 2023-2024). Pending Belledune coal retirement will lower it." }, { "province_code": "AB", "province_name": "Alberta", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 335, "dominant_source": "Natural gas ~70%+ (post-coal) + wind/solar", "data_year": "2024", "confidence": "high", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 243966.2999999999883584678173065185546875, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 243.969999999999998863131622783839702606201171875, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 479800.2999999999883584678173065185546875, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 479.80000000000001136868377216160297393798828125, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 276495.099999999976716935634613037109375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 276.5, "source_name": "Government of Alberta / AESO — GHG emissions reduction performance (2024)", "source_url": "https://www.alberta.ca/albertas-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-performance", "notes": "Falling fast: Alberta completed its coal phase-out in June 2024, dropping from ~470 g (2022) to ~335 g. The stale 470 would overstate Alberta by ~40%; independently confirmed by AESO + ECCC NIR 2024." }, { "province_code": "SK", "province_name": "Saskatchewan", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 630, "dominant_source": "Coal ~41% + gas ~44% + hydro ~14%", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "high", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 458802.2000000000116415321826934814453125, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 458.80000000000001136868377216160297393798828125, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 902311.099999999976716935634613037109375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 902.30999999999994543031789362430572509765625, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 519975.900000000023283064365386962890625, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 519.98000000000001818989403545856475830078125, "source_name": "CER Provincial & Territorial Energy Profiles — Saskatchewan (NIR-derived)", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/saskatchewan.html", "notes": "Among Canada's highest-carbon grids; SaskPower still coal-heavy (Boundary Dam, Poplar River). Only a gradual decline — 630 may modestly overstate 2024." }, { "province_code": "NS", "province_name": "Nova Scotia", "grid_carbon_intensity_gco2eq_per_kwh": 660, "dominant_source": "Coal/petcoke ~50% + gas + wind + imported hydro", "data_year": "2022", "confidence": "high", "co2_kg_per_btc_s21": 480650, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s21": 480.6499999999999772626324556767940521240234375, "co2_kg_per_btc_s19": 945278.30000000004656612873077392578125, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_s19": 945.279999999999972715158946812152862548828125, "co2_kg_per_btc_bitaxe": 544736.599999999976716935634613037109375, "co2_tonnes_per_btc_bitaxe": 544.740000000000009094947017729282379150390625, "source_name": "CER Provincial & Territorial Energy Profiles — Nova Scotia (NIR-derived)", "source_url": "https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/province-territory-energy-profiles/nova-scotia.html", "notes": "Highest provincial grid intensity. Decarbonizing (coal retirement targeted 2030) so slowly falling; 660 may run ~10% high vs 2024." } ] }