Cryptocurrencies

One Solana transaction uses as little energy as two Google searches

Solana has revealed its network energy consumption statistics for November show a standard SOL transaction now only consumes 1,837 Joules of energy – fewer than two Google searches.

The data represents some of the highest energy efficiency delivered by a top 25 blockchain.

A normal proof-of-work (PoW) transaction on the Bitcoin network would demand an eye-watering 6,995,592,000 Joules – the equivalent of 57 gallons of fuel.

Ethereum – while 10x less consumptive than Bitcoin – is still producing a worrying carbon footprint, as each PoW transaction requires 692,820,000 Joules of electricity (just shy of six gallons of fuel).

Ethereum’s green scheme

Vitalik Buterin has highly-anticipated plans to move Ethereum onto greener proof-of-stake (PoS) technology, but even that will require 126,000 Joules per transaction – the equivalent of 68 Solana transactions.

Cardano (ADA) is an interesting comparison, as it is deemed to be one of the lowest impact blockchains – and actively pursuing carbon neutral status through the exciting Cardano Forest community challenge. Yet an ADA transaction utilises 1,800,000 Joules (0.5KwH).

That’s about the same as a PlayStation 5 console running for two hours.

Solana network footprint: the big picture

The entire Solana network, contains 1,196 validator nodes and handles an estimated 20,000,000 transactions.

This uses approximately 3,186,000 kWh every year according to the report – and this is stated to be the equivalent of the electricity consumption of just 986 American households.

The Solana Foundation says the network is planning to move to complete carbon neutral status in 2022.