Ethereum energy consumption drops 99.9% following PoS transition

Researchers arrived at these figures by measuring 8,522 discoverable full nodes, determining an average draw of 105 watts per node. While Ethereum’s absolute electricity usage remains higher than several peers, its efficiency profile shifts significantly when adjusted for market value. At roughly 33 kilowatt-hours per $1 million of market cap, Ethereum ranks as the second most efficient network among those studied, outperformed only by BNB Chain and significantly ahead of Solana’s 283 kilowatt-hours per $1 million.

Hardware configurations play a critical role in these metrics, with 36% of nodes running on residential hardware and 64% operating in enterprise data centers. The geographical distribution is concentrated, with the United States, Germany, Finland, and France hosting 62% of the network. Because the network now relies on validators rather than miners, its carbon footprint is tied directly to the regional grids powering these nodes. Roughly 56% of Ethereum’s energy supply currently comes from renewable or nuclear sources, though fossil fuels—led by natural gas—still account for the remainder. Alexander Neumüller, research lead at the Cambridge digital assets energy program, noted that electricity is no longer the primary cost of security for the network, signaling a fundamental change in how the ecosystem maintains its integrity.