Re:Bitcoin is an Energy Hog
by another-one-off on Wednesday December 27, 2017 @05:47PM
(#16018737)
None of the things my grandparent mentioned are externalities.
The cost of energy consumed is directly borne by the people mining the bitcoins. The costs of the power gluts should be being directly borne by the customers (I'm pretty sure it is in Germany, I don't know about California).
The energy market is distorted by government interference, sure, but the costs are clear and (unless the regulators are doing something really stupid) being borne by parties with skin in the game.
The cost of energy consumed is directly borne by the people mining the bitcoins. The costs of the power gluts should be being directly borne by the customers (I'm pretty sure it is in Germany, I don't know about California).
The energy market is distorted by government interference, sure, but the costs are clear and (unless the regulators are doing something really stupid) being borne by parties with skin in the game.