Bitcoin mining exists primarily to build a global digital network for storing value without the need for a bank or other intermediary, and for peer-to-peer exchanges. It's also one of the most environmentally friendly industries in the world.
The Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance estimates that global Bitcoin mining uses less than 0.2% of the world’s energy production—roughly comparable to all refrigerators in the U.S. and far less than data centers and data networks generally.
