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Bitcoin mining activity and volatility dynamics in the power market

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  • Karmakar, Sayar
  • Demirer, Riza
  • Gupta, Rangan

Abstract

Utilizing a measure of the Bitcoin network’s daily electricity load, we document a significant volatility effect of Bitcoin mining activity in three prominent electricity markets in the U.S. The volatility effect is found to be increasing over time, particularly with the widespread lockdowns enforced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings provide novel insight to the non-virtual side of mining and trading of cryptocurrencies and underscore the need for establishing mechanisms to prevent possible destabilizing effects of this growing industry, both from a power consumption and carbon emissions perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Karmakar, Sayar & Demirer, Riza & Gupta, Rangan, 2021. "Bitcoin mining activity and volatility dynamics in the power market," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:209:y:2021:i:c:s0165176521003888
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2021.110111
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yazıcı, Ali Fırat & Olcay, Ali Bahadır & Arkalı Olcay, Gökçen, 2023. "A framework for maintaining sustainable energy use in Bitcoin mining through switching efficient mining hardware," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    2. Kejin Wu & Sayar Karmakar & Rangan Gupta, 2023. "GARCHX-NoVaS: A Model-free Approach to Incorporate Exogenous Variables," Papers 2308.13346, arXiv.org, revised Sep 2024.
    3. Sibande, Xolani & Demirer, Riza & Balcilar, Mehmet & Gupta, Rangan, 2023. "On the pricing effects of bitcoin mining in the fossil fuel market: The case of coal," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    4. Anatolyy Dzyuba & Irina Solovyeva & Dmitry Konopelko, 2023. "Managing Electricity Costs in Industrial Mining and Cryptocurrency Data Centers," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 76-90, July.
    5. Qin, Meng & Wu, Tong & Ma, Xuecheng & Albu, Lucian Liviu & Umar, Muhammad, 2023. "Are energy consumption and carbon emission caused by Bitcoin? A novel time-varying technique," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 109-120.
    6. Sarker, Provash Kumer & Lau, Chi Keung Marco & Pradhan, Ashis Kumar, 2023. "Asymmetric effects of climate policy uncertainty and energy prices on bitcoin prices," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(2).
    7. Lu, Xunfa & Huang, Nan & Mo, Jianlei, 2024. "Time-varying causalities from the COVID-19 media coverage to the dynamic spillovers among the cryptocurrency, the clean energy, and the crude oil," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    8. Cynthia Weiyi Cai & Rui Xue & Bi Zhou, 2023. "Cryptocurrency puzzles: a comprehensive review and re-introduction," Journal of Accounting Literature, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(1), pages 26-50, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time-varying; GARCH; Bitcoin; Electricity returns;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices

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