Cambridge Study Puts Ethereum Near Low End of PoS Energy Intensity

Blockchain energy consumption has long drawn close scrutiny from environmental authorities and financial regulators. Ethereum sharply reduced the electricity required for computation after switching to a proof-of-stake, or PoS, consensus mechanism. Energy intensity — electricity consumption adjusted for market capitalization — has become a key measure of a crypto network's sustainability. It influences institutional investors' green-finance strategies as well as the regulatory acceptance and adoption of decentralized networks in mainstream finance.

According to the latest study published by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance in July 2026, Ethereum's annual electricity consumption is currently estimated at only about 7.87 GWh. On a market-capitalization-adjusted basis, Ethereum had the second-lowest energy intensity among the PoS networks surveyed, behind only BNB Chain. Solana recorded the highest annual electricity consumption.