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> In the long term, Bitcoin mining accelerates the development of abundant and cheap energy, which is not fossil fuels.

Yes, but does it reduce the total reliance on fossil fuels? If we start with X coal plants and build a Y hydro plants to support btc mining, we're still running the original X coal plants.

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I suspect by "develop" the parent comment did not refer to the construction of power plants but to the improvement of the technology. Like in "Research & Development".

Have you got any non-trivial examples/plans of that happening beyond btc mining speeding up the existing "we need to solve this so fewer people die" process?

Bitcoin mining can possibly finance the building of new solar / wind farms without government subsidies. In time, mining will become less profitable and it makes sense to sell the energy to grid. Obviously, fossil fuel energy should be taxed more heavily to get rid of it faster.

That sounds like trickle down economics idea. It's possible of course... But is it more likely than people taking out their btc gains and buying a yacht instead?

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