Why Bitcoin mining does not compete with other users for power The more you study Bitcoin mining, the more you realize how important it is to energy stability, energy equity, and global sustainable development goals. Bitcoin mining does not compete with other users of energy for power for a very simple economic reason: the inbuilt economic incentive mechanism disincentivizes Bitcoin mining companies for using power when wholesale electricity prices spike (ie: there is high contention for that power). That is why former ERCOT Grid operator Brad Jones called Bitcoin mining a “non-rival energy user”. It powers down when the price of power becomes too expensive; the very time other people want/need that power. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKnRfDeFgr0&t=213s There is a large body of data that demonstrates Bitcoin mining operations behaving this way and helping to stabilize the grid at times of peak power demand, well documented in the media. (see below). What the evidence does point to is that more people have access to energy who otherwise would not have as a result of Bitcoin mining. For example, Gridless in Africa has delivered renewable energy to four villages. This has already brought an estimated 28,000 people out of energy poverty. Meanwhile, on a bigger scale in Ethiopia, in the last year Bitcoin mining generated $220Million for EEP (Ethiopia's state owned electricity company) from surplus renewable hydro-energy. Source: https://capitalethiopia.com/2025/09/21/bitcoin-sector-revenues-expected-to-double-this-year/ EEP's plan is to use that additional revenue "to go towards funding the expansion of the grid" (to rural areas currently without electricity source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqie7bWQHPk Here's some recent media reports on Bitcoin mining behaving as a non-rival customer and helping stabilize the ERCOT (Texas) grid during extreme weather events (via voluntary curtailment/demand response): “Winter storm descends on Texas, bitcoin miners shut off to protect ERCOT” CNBC, February 3, 2022 https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/03/winter-storm-descends-on-texas-bitcoin-miners-shut-off-to-protect-ercot.html “Limiting crypto helped the Texas power grid weather a heat wave” Texas Tribune, July 15, 2022 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/07/15/crypto-energy-texas-power-grid/ “Texas Data Centers, Crypto Miners Reduced Power Use During Storm” Bloomberg, January 29, 2026 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-29/texas-data-centers-crypto-miners-reduced-power-use-during-storm “Can the fragile Texas power grid handle a cryptomining gold rush?” (explicitly notes miners can help stabilize the grid during high-demand periods) NBC News, July 22, 2022 https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/crypto/can-fragile-texas-power-grid-handle-cryptomining-gold-rush-rcna15726 “Bitcoin Miners Power Down US Operations in Wake of Winter Storm” Bloomberg, January 26, 2026 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-26/bitcoin-miners-power-down-us-operations-in-wake-of-winter-storm(Daniel Batten)