As the looming electricity demand from artificial intelligence datacenters has lawmakers and grid operators scrambling for solutions, Bitcoin miners point to a partial solution: powering down when a utility needs them to.So-called demand response programs are partnerships between grid operators and large energy consumers, where the latter curtails their use during times of peak demand.
This is where Bitcoin miners have come in. They can take out long-term contracts at a consistent power load, to guarantee a minimum return on capital.when the grid upgrades and gets more customers for those new sources, and then demand peaks? Certain customers, like Bitcoin miners, can just turn off.As executives at Terawulf and Riot Platforms explained, Bitcoin miners don't need to save work when they shut down, so they can be off in less than a minute.