French MPs Propose Using Bitcoin Mining to Stabilize the Power Grid
Date: 2025-07-18 Author: Oliver Abernathy Categories: IN WORLD
The French parliament has proposed an original solution to the problem of excess renewable energy. According to the initiators, the local market is increasingly experiencing an imbalance due to the fact that wind and solar power plants generate more than can be stored or used. Power plants have to sell excess electricity at unprofitable prices or reduce the capacity of nuclear reactors, which accelerates their wear and tear and creates additional costs.
To minimize these costs, MPs are proposing a five-year test program that allows the use of excess energy for cryptocurrency mining. According to estimates by the Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN), the use of 1 GW of such capacity can bring the French economy from $100 to $150 million annually. Thus, cryptocurrency mining can become a profitable way to process excess electricity into profit.
In addition, parliamentarians emphasize an additional advantage - the by-product of heat production during mining. Usually, thermal energy from power plants is not used most efficiently, but when mining bitcoin, it can be used to heat residential buildings, greenhouses and industrial facilities, which increases the overall energy efficiency of the project.
The authors of the bill note that a similar scheme has already proven its worth in a number of northern countries - Iceland, Norway and Sweden have long been using excess "green" energy for mining, placing data centers near power plants. According to French deputies, the country should take advantage of this experience by placing mining farms near operating nuclear power plants or in unused industrial buildings.
If the initiative is approved, a new industry may appear in France that combines the interests of energy and the digital economy. This will not only reduce the burden on nuclear infrastructure, but will also allow for the efficient use of all available resources, avoiding losses for manufacturers.
It is interesting that similar ideas are appearing in other countries. For example, in Russia, the Governor of the Kemerovo Region, Ilya Seredyuk, recently announced plans to build mining farms on the territory of local coal enterprises. All this suggests that mining is increasingly perceived not as a threat to the environment, but as a tool for optimizing energy and a source of additional income for the regions.
The French initiative once again emphasizes that with the right approach, cryptocurrencies can become part of the sustainable development of the energy sector.
