Economics
How much does electricity really cost?
Electricity is the biggest mining cost. At £0.05/kWh (solar), it is 15-25% of revenue. At £0.26/kWh (UK grid), it exceeds 100%. See solutions.
Electricity is the single biggest ongoing cost in mining. For your Miner 1000 (1× RTX 5090 + 7× RTX 5080, 2320W):
| Rate | Cost/Day | Cost/Month | Cost/Year | % of Revenue* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Green/Solar (£0.05) | £2.78 | £84 | £1016 | 15-25% |
| 🔴 UK Grid (£0.26) | £14.48 | £434 | £5284 | 80-120% |
*Revenue % is indicative and varies significantly by token and market conditions. At depressed coin prices, green electricity can exceed 100% of daily sell revenue — this is where the cycle-hold strategy becomes essential.
This is why energy cost is the make-or-break factor. At UK Grid rates, electricity can consume more than 100% of your mining revenue — you're literally paying to give coins away.
Solutions:
- Solar panels — reduce effective cost to £0.02-0.05/kWh
- Off-peak tariffs — mine during cheap hours (Octopus Go: £0.075/kWh overnight)
- Business energy contracts — typically £0.15-0.18/kWh
- Heat reuse — mining rigs produce ~3,400 BTU/hr per kW. If replacing gas or electric heating in a workshop, warehouse, or greenhouse, your effective mining electricity cost drops significantly because you're offsetting heating bills you'd pay anyway
- Colocation — host rigs at a facility with industrial power rates