A new study from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance has placed Ethereum near the bottom of the energy intensity rankings among major proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchains, though the network still consumed more total electricity than most peers. The research provides one of the most detailed assessments of Ethereum's post-Merge energy footprint, offering policymakers and investors a current basis for comparing blockchain sustainability.
Ethereum's energy consumption and intensity
Cambridge estimated that Ethereum consumes about 7.87 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually. When adjusted for market value, the network used roughly 33 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per $1 million, the second-lowest figure among the PoS networks studied, behind BNB Chain. Solana used the most electricity among the PoS networks assessed, at about 13.48 GWh per year, with an energy intensity of roughly 283 kWh per $1 million of market value — around 8.5 times Ethereum's. The combined consumption of all networks in the comparison was about 38 GWh.
Methodology and node analysis
Cambridge measured electricity use at the wall across 20 combinations of Ethereum's main software clients. A typical home setup used about 18 watts, while a more powerful workstation used roughly 153 watts. Using the mix of residential and professionally hosted nodes, researchers estimated an average power draw of about 105 watts per node. They counted around 8,522 discoverable full nodes, with 64% running in cloud or enterprise facilities and 36% on residential connections.
Post-Merge impact and energy sources
Ethereum transitioned from proof-of-work mining to proof-of-stake validation through the Merge in September 2022, replacing energy-intensive mining with validators who secure the network by staking Ether. After the Merge, energy estimates showed the upgrade reduced the network's electricity use by more than 99.9%. Cambridge noted that Ethereum's remaining emissions are now driven mainly by the electricity grids supplying its nodes. The study estimated that about 56.4% of the network's electricity mix came from renewable and nuclear sources, compared with 43.6% from fossil fuels.