1 / of 3 Bitcoin may soon consume more power than Australia â almost 10 times more than Google, Microsoft and Facebook combined updated 4 Bitcoin reached US$50,000 for the first time in February. ( Print text only Bitcoin has a climate problem. The cryptocurrency uses huge quantities of electricity and as the price of a single Bitcoin has skyrocketed beyond $50,000, Bitcoin miners are now producing as much carbon pollution as a medium-sized nation. Key points: As Bitcoin's price increases, the electricity consumed increases The majority of the electricity consumed by Bitcoin is powered by fossil fuels "Bitcoin uses more electricity per transaction than any other method known to mankind," said Microsoft founder Bill Gates, when he spoke recently on social media platform Clubhouse.