Bitcoin mining is used to offset heating costs in greenhouses and homes

One of the side effects of the energy-intensive process of bitcoin mining is the excessive heat created by the hardware devices involved. Miners must prove that they spent energy on intensive computer work to find a Bitcoin block and help with the network’s accounting system, and devices designed specifically for this process give off a large amount of heat, similar to what is sometimes seen with old laptops or gaming PCs.

For many years, it has been theorized that this heat could have a dual use for various applications, such as heating a home or a greenhouse. After all, the energy used to create heat can also be used to mine Bitcoin (or vice versa), as incorporating Bitcoin mining revenue into the equation has the potential to at least partially offset these heating costs (all other factors being equal). This effectively reverses the problem of excessive heat found in many new data centers popping up around the world by putting it to practical use without much additional cost.

These ideas become less theoretical over time, with more experiments and consumer products related to this hypothesis now coming online.

This holiday season, we are excited to bring the gift of warmth to even more homes with the addition of our second district heating project that will warm a city of 67,000 with #Bitcoin mining. We are now proud to provide heating to almost 80,000 residents across Finland. ❄️🏠♨️ pic.twitter.com/s5Vvz0ps5v

-MARA (@MARA) December 20, 2024

Just last week, Superheat unveiled its water heater at CES 2026which adds Bitcoin mining to a traditional water heater. And Superheat isn’t the first company to promote the idea of ​​using Bitcoin mining to provide heat to homes at a lower total cost. Heat bit offers a similar device that focuses on heating the air in a room with a radiator. RY3T in Switzerland and Soft and warm in the United States are also working to help people heat their entire homes with larger systems.

One of the most notable examples of this concept of using bitcoin mining for heat production came from bitcoin mining giant Marathon Digital Holdings, which launched a pilot program in 2024 involving a 2 megawatt installation in Finland that was used to heat more than 11,000 homes in one community. The initiative works by heating water locally within the facility before being distributed to buildings via underground pipes. Marathon finally extended their coverage to nearly 80,000 residents by the end of 2024.

In addition to heating homes, bitcoin mining can also be useful in meeting the specific heat needs of greenhouses in cold climates, as shown in the example below. a new initiative providing heat to a greenhouse growing tomatoes in Canada. A previous study from Cornell found that the heat lost during Bitcoin mining can be used to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs after examining various case studies from around the world. Of course, Bitcoin critics would say that there is nothing really gained here in terms of energy efficiency, because any energy spent on mining Bitcoin is considered inherently wasteful.

Another reported example of Bitcoin mining being used in greenhouses has been observed. in the Netherlands for growing tulipswhich seems perfect given Bitcoin critics’ incessant comparison of the cryptocurrency to the 17th century tulip craze over the years.

Whether the heating economy fueled by Bitcoin mining makes sense in the long term remains to be seen. It’s still early days and bitcoin mining is an extremely specialized industry where access to cheap electricity sources reigns supreme. Again, the goal here is simply to salvage something from a heating process that would already be happening rather than making a profit on Bitcoin mining itself.

In many situations, for example when natural gas heating is available at much lower costs than what is available via the power grid, the trade-offs of using Bitcoin mining for heating may not be worth it. It is also true that those building the hardware needed for these types of plug-and-play systems will want a reduction in the mining revenue involved, which will reduce the heating cost offset to consumers.

Even though the technology is aimed at the end user who benefits from cheaper heat, the demand for AI data centers and bitcoin mines is ironic. share some blame for an increase in energy costs on the American grid.

Additionally, maintenance costs for this type of heater can increase. For example, what happens if something goes wrong with the miner in the radiator? The cost advantages effectively disappear in such a scenario.

Time will tell if heating powered by Bitcoin mining turns out to be anything more than a gimmick. For now, there are signs that this may work in some situations, but it’s unlikely to be the right option in all possible scenarios.