French politicians have launched a daring plan to remodel the nation’s surplus nuclear energy into Bitcoin mining income, doubtlessly producing as much as $150 million yearly whereas fixing a pricey vitality waste drawback.
The €80 Million Power Downside
France faces a rising problem with its nuclear energy success. The nation produces extra electrical energy than it could actually use, resulting in costly waste. In 2024, France broke its file for internet electrical energy exports with 89 TWh bought to its neighbors, however €80 million was misplaced by producers as a result of adverse electrical energy costs when surplus energy needed to be bought at a loss.
The state of affairs has grow to be so extreme that on March 2, 2025, RTE (the transmission system operator) needed to pay practically €12,000 per megawatt-hour to European counterparts to eliminate extra electrical energy. This occurs as a result of electrical energy grids should steadiness provide and demand in actual time, and France typically produces extra energy than it could actually retailer or devour.
Nuclear energy supplies over 70% of France’s electricity, making it one of many world’s most nuclear-dependent nations. Whereas this retains carbon emissions low, it creates rigid manufacturing that’s arduous to regulate when demand drops.
The Bitcoin Mining Answer
On July 11, 2025, French lawmakers from the Nationwide Rally celebration submitted a brand new invoice to the French Nationwide Meeting proposing a five-year take a look at program. In line with French media reports, the invoice was deposited on the Nationwide Meeting to authorize experimental use of electrical energy surplus for cryptocurrency mining. The plan would permit vitality producers to make use of extra energy—notably from nuclear and renewable sources—for mining Bitcoin, with potential annual income estimated at $100-150 million from only one gigawatt of surplus vitality
Warmth Restoration Advantages
The proposal goes past simply being profitable from surplus electrical energy. Mining computer systems launch appreciable warmth that may be captured through warmth exchangers to warmth buildings, agricultural greenhouses or energy industrial processes.
This isn’t simply principle. Nordic nations already use this method efficiently. In Sweden, Genesis Mining participates in a analysis venture finding out repurposing waste warmth from bitcoin mining to develop fruit and veggies in greenhouses, with a 600 kW mining container offering enough warmth for a 300m² greenhouse, even in winter temperatures as little as -30°C.
Norway’s largest Bitcoin miner makes use of waste warmth to dry timber, whereas Finnish companies pay Bitcoin miners between $15-30 per megawatt-hour for his or her extra warmth to heat properties via district heating methods.
Political Challenges Forward
This isn’t France’s first try at Bitcoin mining laws. In June 2025, an preliminary modification was rejected by the French Nationwide Meeting on procedural grounds underneath Article 98 of parliamentary guidelines, with out dialogue of its deserves.
The present proposal faces political hurdles. The movement is more likely to be challenged because it comes from the far proper, which might result in heated political clashes, with analysts anticipating criticism about extreme vitality consumption and alleged hyperlinks between the intense proper and crypto.
Nonetheless, authorities officers present some openness to the concept. Digital Minister Clara Chappaz has stated the federal government must “take a severe take a look at it” and “analyze the sort of topic from an financial viewpoint, with out ideology.”
International Context and Competitors
France isn’t alone in exploring Bitcoin mining for vitality administration. The curiosity displays a broader worldwide pattern of nations seeing Bitcoin mining as a strategic software to steadiness vitality provide, scale back waste, and assist innovation within the digital economic system, with Belarus additionally finding out Bitcoin mining for surplus energy consumption.
Only some nations have formally embraced Bitcoin mining as nationwide coverage. El Salvador made Bitcoin authorized tender and makes use of geothermal vitality for mining, whereas Bhutan quietly mines Bitcoin with hydroelectric energy. Business analysts view rejection of such proposals as missed alternatives, with some warning that nations embracing Bitcoin might acquire aggressive benefits in what’s described as a “digital monetary arms race”.
The Association for the Development of Digital Assets argues that France might strengthen its place within the rising digital asset economic system whereas fixing actual vitality issues. ADAN requires a pilot venture with EDF and improvement of a tailor-made regulatory framework to make Bitcoin mining an asset for vitality transition and innovation.
Wanting Ahead
The proposal addresses an actual drawback costing France thousands and thousands yearly. France’s nuclear fleet faces strain from reactor modulation used to steadiness demand and combine intermittent renewable vitality sources, which accelerates tools put on and will increase upkeep prices (€66 billion for the Grand Carénage program by 2028).
Whether or not French lawmakers can transfer previous political divisions to judge the sensible advantages stays unclear. The success of comparable packages in Nordic nations supplies encouraging examples, however France’s bigger scale and totally different political panorama current distinctive challenges.
The proposal represents a possible shift in how nations take into consideration vitality waste and digital innovation. For France, it might rework an costly drawback right into a income supply whereas supporting the nation’s nuclear infrastructure and local weather targets.
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