Important Highlights
- France sometimes has more electricity than it can use and now it wants to put it to work.
- Lawmakers are proposing a five-year trial to use that extra energy for bitcoin mining.
- If it works, it could bring in $100 to $150 million per year, all powered by clean electricity.
Wait… France Has Too Much Electricity?
Despite the fact that it may look strange, this is true. Large amounts of electricity are produced in France, mainly nuclear power and renewable energy sources such as solar and air are used.
When the grid does not require electricity, they are unable to do much with it. Sometimes it’s sold off cheap, sometimes it’s just wasted.
So lawmakers recently asked a simple but smart question:
What if we used that leftover power to mine bitcoin instead of letting it go to waste?
They’ve now proposed a five-year experiment to do just that.
Why Bitcoin Mining Makes Sense Here
If you’ve heard about bitcoin mining before, you probably know it gets a bad rap mostly because it uses so much electricity.
But here’s the twist: what if that electricity was going to waste anyway?
That’s the situation in France. According to the group ADAN (which helps shape crypto policy in the country), using just one gigawatt of unused electricity for bitcoin mining could generate $100 to $150 million in revenue every year.
Even better? France’s electricity is already mostly carbon-free, so this wouldn’t be dirty crypto mining. It’d be clean, efficient, and kind of genius.
Helping the Grid, Not Hurting It
Right now, France’s energy producers especially nuclear plants have to adjust their output based on how much renewable energy is flowing in.
That constant stop-start cycle puts stress on the system.
Bitcoin mining, though, is super flexible.
You can turn the machines on when there’s too much electricity and power them down when demand goes back up.
So instead of stressing the grid, mining can actually help smooth things out.
And instead of building huge new facilities, France wants to place small mining centers near power plants, maybe even inside old, unused buildings or factories. It’s efficient and low-impact.
“Waste” Heat Could Be a Bonus, Not a Problem
One of the most overlooked parts of bitcoin mining is the heat it generates.
And yes, these machines run hot but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
France’s lawmakers are pointing to countries like Iceland and Sweden, where miners already reuse that heat to warm homes, greenhouses, and even help with industrial processes. France could easily do the same.
So instead of dumping that heat into the air, it could be recycled into something useful helping the environment andlowering heating bills.
More Than Just a Crypto Play
Sure, this idea could make France some money. However, it’s also about something more significant: changing the way we view technology and energy.
France might establish itself as a pioneer in ethical cryptocurrency mining by mining bitcoin with clean, excess electricity.
That’s a big deal in a world where crypto is often blamed for damaging the planet.
This experiment could also give a boost to local economies, especially in areas with old industrial buildings just sitting empty.
Mining centers in those spaces could bring jobs, investment, and new purpose to forgotten places.
The Bottom Line: Smart, Simple, and Surprisingly Green
Here’s the thing France already has the power. Literally.
And bitcoin mining, when done with the right energy, can be a way to put that power to good use.
Instead of letting electricity go to waste or forcing nuclear plants to shut down early, the country could earn millions, reduce energy waste, and recycle heat all while helping support a new generation of clean crypto infrastructure.
It is not just about bitcoin mining. It is about using resources wisely, thinking further and creating smart systems for the future.