Cambridge University researchers measured Ethereum’s electricity consumption after the September 2022 merge from proof‑of‑work to proof‑of‑stake.

The study estimated that Ethereum’s network consumed about 7.87 gigawatt‑hours of electricity per year, placing it near the lower end of energy intensity among major proof‑of‑stake blockchains, though overall consumption remained higher than most of the networks examined.

When adjusted for market value, Ethereum used roughly 33 kilowatt‑hours per $1 million of market capitalization, the second‑lowest figure among the proof‑of‑stake networks surveyed, behind BNB Chain. Solana recorded the highest consumption at about 13.48 gigawatt‑hours annually, with an energy intensity of approximately 283 kilowatt‑hours per $1 million, roughly 8.5 times Ethereum’s intensity. The combined electricity use of the networks in the study was about 38 gigawatt‑hours per year.

Node measurements: The researchers examined electricity draw at the connection point of 20 different client software combinations. A typical home node consumed about 18 watts, while a more capable workstation used roughly 153 watts. Based on a mix of residential and professionally hosted nodes, the average power draw per node was estimated at 105 watts. Cambridge identified 8,522 discoverable full nodes, 64 % running in cloud or enterprise environments and 36 % on residential connections. The study concluded that remaining emissions are driven primarily by the electricity grids supplying these nodes, with 56.4 % of the network’s power coming from renewable or nuclear sources and 43.6 % from fossil fuels.

The report provides a detailed quantitative baseline for evaluating blockchain sustainability as the industry continues to evolve.