{
    "meta": {
        "title": "Bitcoin Mining Energy Sources",
        "description": "Machine-readable comparison of 9 energy sources for Bitcoin mining (hydro, grid, flare gas, solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear, curtailment) by availability, relative cost, carbon and mining suitability.",
        "generated": "2026-06-20T05:53:03+00:00",
        "version": "1.0",
        "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
        "license_name": "CC BY 4.0",
        "source": "https://d-central.tech/mining-energy-sources/",
        "record_count": 9,
        "disclaimer": "Qualitative characteristics of each energy source; actual cost and carbon vary widely by site, region and project. Informational, not a procurement or investment recommendation."
    },
    "rows": [
        {
            "source": "Hydroelectric",
            "availability": "Baseload",
            "cost": "Very low",
            "carbon": "Very low",
            "mining_fit": "Excellent",
            "note": "Cheap, abundant, steady 24/7 power — the reason Quebec (and D-Central) is a major mining region. Ideal for always-on miners."
        },
        {
            "source": "Grid (general)",
            "availability": "Dispatchable",
            "cost": "Varies by region",
            "carbon": "Depends on mix",
            "mining_fit": "Good",
            "note": "The default option. Economics hinge entirely on your local rate and the generation mix behind it — see the Canadian electricity-rates dataset."
        },
        {
            "source": "Flare / stranded gas",
            "availability": "Dispatchable",
            "cost": "Very low",
            "carbon": "Lower than flaring/venting",
            "mining_fit": "Excellent (niche)",
            "note": "Captures methane that would otherwise be flared or vented, turning a waste stream into hashrate and cutting emissions versus flaring. Off-grid, behind-the-meter."
        },
        {
            "source": "Solar (PV)",
            "availability": "Intermittent",
            "cost": "Low (and falling)",
            "carbon": "Very low",
            "mining_fit": "Situational",
            "note": "Cheap in daylight but intermittent — pairs best with battery storage or curtailment-aware, daytime-weighted operation. Strong for off-grid energy sovereignty."
        },
        {
            "source": "Wind",
            "availability": "Intermittent",
            "cost": "Low",
            "carbon": "Very low",
            "mining_fit": "Situational",
            "note": "Very low marginal cost when the wind blows; mining can absorb curtailed wind the grid cannot take, improving project economics."
        },
        {
            "source": "Geothermal",
            "availability": "Baseload",
            "cost": "Low",
            "carbon": "Very low",
            "mining_fit": "Excellent (location-specific)",
            "note": "Steady, low-carbon baseload where the geology allows (e.g. volcanic regions) — the basis of national-scale mining experiments."
        },
        {
            "source": "Nuclear",
            "availability": "Baseload",
            "cost": "Moderate",
            "carbon": "Very low",
            "mining_fit": "Good",
            "note": "Stable, low-carbon baseload; behind-the-meter or grid-adjacent mining can monetise steady output and provide flexible demand."
        },
        {
            "source": "Natural gas (genset)",
            "availability": "Dispatchable",
            "cost": "Moderate",
            "carbon": "Moderate-high",
            "mining_fit": "Good",
            "note": "Dispatchable behind-the-meter power, common for off-grid or peaker-backed sites where grid access is limited."
        },
        {
            "source": "Grid curtailment / demand response",
            "availability": "Variable",
            "cost": "Very low (often paid)",
            "carbon": "Depends on grid",
            "mining_fit": "Good",
            "note": "Mine when power is abundant and cheap, then curtail (or get paid to curtail) at peak — turning miners into a flexible, interruptible load that supports grid stability."
        }
    ]
}