The Cambridge Centre for Different Finance has estimated Ethereum’s annual electrical energy consumption at 7.87 gigawatt-hours. That equals a steady power demand of about 0.90 megawatts. The examine locations Ethereum close to the decrease finish of power depth amongst main proof-of-stake blockchains when researchers modify electrical energy use for market worth. Cambridge additionally estimated annual emissions of about 2.37 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equal.
Abstract
- Ethereum ranks second-lowest in market-value-adjusted power depth among the many main proof-of-stake networks Cambridge studied globally.
- Cambridge measured 8,522 nodes and calculated electrical energy demand of roughly 105 watts per node.
- The Merge cut Ethereum’s power demand by over 99.9%, leaving grid sources to drive emissions.
Ethereum used extra electrical energy in absolute phrases than most networks included within the comparability. Solana ranked highest at about 13.48 GWh every year, whereas Ethereum ranked second. Nevertheless, Ethereum consumed about 33 kilowatt-hours for each $1 million of market worth. That was the second-lowest price measured, behind BNB Chain. Solana recorded about 283 kWh per $1 million, or roughly 8.5 occasions Ethereum’s price. The networks in Cambridge’s top-tier PoS comparability used 38 GWh mixed. NEAR, Tron and TON ranged from 3.6 to five.1 GWh, whereas Cardano and BNB Chain stayed under 1 GWh.
Direct node exams form the estimate
Cambridge built the estimate from direct power measurements moderately than making use of one assumed determine to each node. Researchers examined 20 combos of Ethereum’s important execution and consensus software program shoppers on two {hardware} setups. A lighter residential system drew a median of 18 watts. A workstation used for skilled deployments drew about 152 watts. The examine calculated a network-weighted common of roughly 105 watts per node.
The researchers recognized 8,522 discoverable full nodes. Round 36% operated on residential {hardware}, whereas 64% ran in cloud or enterprise knowledge facilities. The US hosted 31% of the nodes, adopted by Germany at 16%, Finland at 8%, and France at 6%. Cambridge stated these 4 international locations collectively accounted for practically 62% of the full-node community measured.
Grid combine now drives Ethereum’s emissions
Ethereum’s electrical energy sources now form most of its remaining carbon footprint. Cambridge estimated that renewable power provided 39.4% of the community’s power and nuclear power provided 17%. Collectively, these sources accounted for 56.4%. Fossil fuels provided the remaining 43.6%, with pure fuel representing the most important single supply at 27.7%. The ultimate emissions estimate relied on the electrical energy grids serving every node location.
Alexander Neumüller, analysis lead at Cambridge’s digital property power program, stated, “Beneath Proof-of-Stake, electrical energy is not the value of safety.” Ethereum changed proof-of-work mining with validators in the course of the Merge on September 15, 2022. Cambridge estimated that steady power demand fell from about 2.4 gigawatts earlier than the transition to 0.90 megawatts afterward, a discount of greater than 99.9%.
Crypto.information protection tracks the PoS shift
Associated crypto.news coverage has described proof-of-stake as a lower-energy various as a result of validators safe networks by staked property as an alternative of aggressive mining. A January 2026 report additionally quoted Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse saying proof-of-stake methods use about 99.9% much less power than proof-of-work networks. The brand new Cambridge figures present up to date {hardware} and internet hosting knowledge for Ethereum a number of years after its transition.
The report doesn’t declare that Ethereum makes use of the least electrical energy amongst all proof-of-stake networks. Its annual whole stays increased than most friends studied. Its stronger rating seems solely after researchers divide power use by market worth. Cambridge additionally averted a per-transaction estimate as a result of about 92% of Ethereum ecosystem transactions now decide on scaling networks, making a mainnet-only calculation incomplete. Cambridge stated lighter stateless verification may decrease {hardware} necessities, however wider node participation may offset these financial savings. The report treats future demand as unsure moderately than assuming effectivity features will cut back whole use.
