PayPal has put forward a novel initiative aimed at promoting sustainable practices in Bitcoin mining.

In collaboration with Energy Web and DMG Blockchain Solutions, PayPal’s Blockchain Research Group has introduced a system to incentivize the use of low-carbon energy sources among Bitcoin miners.

This proposal, detailed in an April 22 blog post, introduces "cryptoeconomic incentives" designed to make eco-friendly mining practices more economically viable.

Under this innovative system, Bitcoin miners who utilize sustainable energy sources would receive special “green keys” linked to their public keys.

These green keys would enable them to access additional rewards. Bitcoin transactions could be preferentially directed towards these "green miners" by offering them lower transaction fees coupled with a bonus BTC reward.

This reward would be locked in a multisig payout address, accessible only to miners holding green keys.

The intent behind this mechanism is to provide a substantial financial incentive for miners to adopt greener technologies by making it more profitable to mine Bitcoin using low-carbon energy.

This could potentially shift the current dynamics in mining, where profitability often dictates energy choices, towards a more environmentally friendly approach.

The accreditation of green miners would be managed through Energy Web’s “Green Proofs for Bitcoin” platform, which assesses miners based on their use of clean energy and their impact on the grid.

Miners can register their green keys on this platform to participate in the incentive program.

PayPal’s Blockchain Research Group has already conducted trials of this proposal with DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc., observing the behavior of low-fee transactions under various on-chain transaction volumes.

They noted that these transactions might either confirm slowly or get dropped by the network, increasing the likelihood that green miners will process them.

While PayPal is also considering other methods like leveraging private channels or smart contracts, which could involve platforms like the Lightning Network, these alternatives might present more complex implementation challenges.

The proposed solution aims to strike a balance by achieving a good degree of decentralization, simplicity in implementation, and trust independence while effectively distributing incentives.

PayPal is currently seeking feedback from the industry on this proposal to refine the approach and stimulate further innovation and discussion about sustainable Bitcoin mining practices.

This initiative could represent a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining, aligning with broader goals of sustainability within the cryptocurrency sector.

Sources:

https://cointelegraph.com/news/pay-pal-proposes-cryptoeconomic-rewards-sustainable-bitcoin-miners

https://pyusd.mirror.xyz/P2fyue5RNhdOAV_IREgLPkj70vk-7zLAAw7Rk39s0iw

https://filecache.mediaroom.com/mr5mr_paypal/186970/Green_Mining_Initiative_2024.pdf