Appeared in the early 2010s, Bitcoin is a virtual currency that can be “mined”, like gold or diamonds. Of course, Bitcoin miners do not use a shovel or a pickaxe but their computer, which requires a considerable energy effort and is therefore not very ecological.
A time shunned by Elon Musk because of this large carbon footprint, Bitcoin should be entitled to a second chance, according to a recent tweet from the CEO of Tesla. In response to cryptocurrency media Cointelegraph, Musk revealed that “When it is confirmed that miners will use a reasonable portion (around 50%) of clean energy with a positive trend for the future, Tesla will re-authorize transactions with Bitcoin.”
This is just another episode in the (already) long history between Tesla and Bitcoin. At the start of the year, the automaker had purchased an amount of Bitcoin in excess of $ 1 billion before announcing that it was now possible to use it to purchase its electric cars. This news had the effect of a bomb, exploding the price of the cryptocurrency and allowing Tesla to make a profit of 100 million dollars by selling 10% of its wallet.
However, Tesla has also been criticized for promoting a non-ecological means of payment, contrary to the manufacturer’s “green” image. This is how, just a few months later, Tesla claimed to have “suspended the purchase of cars through the use of Bitcoin. We are concerned about the rapid rise in the use of fossil fuels in Bitcoin mining, especially coal, which is the most polluting energy. Tesla does not will sell no Bitcoin and we will use it again for transactions as soon as its mining has made a transition to sustainable energy. “
–
