Estimation of Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Oxides, Nitrogen Oxides, Volatile Organic Compounds, and Particulate Matters Emission Due to Cryptocurrency Miners’ Activity in Iran

Abstract

Nowadays, electricity consumption has increased worldwide due to the activity of cryptocurrency miners. Much of Iran’s electricity is generated by fossil fuel power plants. So, generating more electricity means producing more air pollutants in Iran. There is not sufficient information about the effects of cryptocurrency mining on Iran’s air pollution. This study aims to estimate the amount of carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and particulate matter (PM) emitted by Iran’s power plants when they generate extra electricity for cryptocurrency miners. In this study, we firstly estimated the amount of fuel used for the electricity needed for cryptocurrency miners. Then, the amounts of emitted NOx, CO, VOCs, SOx, and total PM for generation of such electricity were estimated via the guidelines of the European Environment Agency for emission inventory estimation. The results showed that an on average of 3530, 1547, 103, 11, and 35 tons of NOx, CO, VOCs, SOx, and total PM, respectively, have been emitted into the atmosphere in Iran annually.

Keywords

• cryptocurrencies
• air pollution
• emission inventory
• fossil fuel power plants