Step 3 · The solution (a clearly-labelled proposal)
Turn wasted clean energy into value — with flexible, interruptible mining load
The case
Ireland's renewable rollout is being held back by its own success: the more wind we build, the more we curtail, and curtailment undermines the economics of new projects. A flexible load that pays for otherwise-wasted energy improves those economics, reduces the net cost of the transition to billpayers, and helps stabilise the grid — all without competing with consumers.
The headline proposal
50 / 50
Sell half, hold half
Sell 50% of mined BTC monthly to fund operations and return value / offset billpayer cost; hold the remaining 50% for capital appreciation.
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Interruptible by design
Rapid, automatic switch-on/off tied to grid signals. The load drops within seconds when the grid needs power, so it never competes with homes or industry.
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Mobile & modular
Container-scale units sited close to energy sources, deployable where curtailment is highest and relocatable as the grid evolves.
How it works
- Modular mining units are sited next to wind/solar generation with high curtailment.
- They mine only when energy is not otherwise in demand — i.e. during curtailment/constraint events when output would be dumped.
- Grid signals trigger rapid, interruptible shut-off: when the system needs the power, the load drops instantly and the electricity flows to consumers.
- Revenue is split 50/50 — sold to offset costs and held for the long term.
Objections, answered
The one thing to remember
“Bitcoin mining wastes energy.”
This proposal uses only energy that is already being wasted — clean electricity that has been generated and would otherwise be curtailed and thrown away. It adds no new demand on the system; it captures value from spillage.
“It will raise emissions.”
The load runs on surplus renewable output, not gas. Because it is interruptible, it switches off the moment the grid needs power, so it never causes extra fossil generation. By improving renewable project economics it helps displace gas over time.
“It competes with homes and industry.”
It cannot. The units are a buyer of last resort with rapid, automatic shut-off tied to grid signals: whenever the power is needed by consumers or the wholesale price rises, the miners stop within seconds. They only run when energy would otherwise be dumped.
“Bitcoin’s price is volatile.”
True — which is why figures on this site are illustrative and never presented as guaranteed. The 50/50 sell-and-hold policy funds operations from monthly sales while retaining upside, and the core benefit (soaking up curtailment and improving renewable economics) holds even under conservative price assumptions.
Not financial or investment advice. Bitcoin figures depend on volatile market prices and network conditions and are illustrative only.
Looking ahead: what this is worth over 20 years
These are scenarios, not predictions — anchored on Ireland's published capacity targets and the 2022–2024 dispatch-down trend. Move the sliders and watch the waste curve, the recovered value, and the savings per household recompute live.
Read this first
Curtailment vs energy recovered by mining
Savings per household
By year (selected milestones)
| Year | Renewables | % of demand | Curtailment | Recovered value | Saved / household |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 22 GW | 153% | 13.2 TWh | €921.5M | €439 |
| 2035 | 32.5 GW | 204% | 26.6 TWh | €1.9B | €887 |
| 2040 | 43 GW | 245% | 44.7 TWh | €3.1B | €1,490 |
| 2045 | 53 GW | 273% | 66.3 TWh | €4.6B | €2,207 |
| 2046 | 55 GW | 278% | 71.1 TWh | €5B | €2,367 |
Want to help make this happen?
Whether you're a policymaker, an investor, a renewable operator with curtailment, or a supporter — there's a way to get involved.