Bitcoin uses extra electricity per annum than the entire of Argentina, examination by Cambridge University suggests. Cambridge researchers say it consumes about 121.36 terawatt-hours (TWh) a year - and is questionable to fall unless the worth of the currency slumps. Opponents say electric-car firm Tesla's choice to invest seriously in Bitcoin undermines its environmental image. 

The currency's worth hit a record $48,000 (£34,820) this week. But the growing price offers even more incentive to Bitcoin miners to run extra and more machines. 

And as the price rises, so does the energy eating, allowing to Michel Rauchs, researcher at The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, who co-created the connected tool that produces these estimates. 

It is actually by design that Bitcoin consumes that much power,” Mr Rauchs told BBC’s Tech Tent podcast. “This is not to some degree that will alter in the future unless the Bitcoin price is going to suggestively go down." 

The online tool has graded Bitcoin’s electricity consumption exceeding Argentina (121 TWh), the Netherlands (108.8 TWh) and the United Arab Emirates (113.20 TWh) - and it is slowly move stealthily up on Norway (122.20 TWh). 

The liveliness it uses could control all kettles used in the UK for 27 years, it understood. 

Though, it also advises the sum of electricity consumed each year by always-on but quiet home devices in the US alone could power the whole Bitcoin network for a year. 

Mining Bitcoin 

In instruction to "mine" Bitcoin, computers - frequently specialized ones - are associated to the cryptocurrency network. They have the job of substantiating transactions made by folks who send or receive Bitcoin. 

This development involves resolving puzzles, which, while not essential to verifying actions of the currency, provide an obstacle to safeguard no-one fraudulently edits the global record of all transactions. 

As a reward, miners irregularly obtain small amounts of Bitcoin in what is frequently likened to a lottery.