Electric water heat supply of apartment buildings with cryptocurrency generation units

Energy costs for heating and hot water preparation account for up to 80 % of a household's total energy consumption. As cities continue to grow, there is an increasing need to replace existing district heating technologies in apartment buildings with new systems based on electric energy. However, a major drawback of electric heating systems is their high tariff rates. Utilizing cryptocurrency mining units offers a way to reduce the economic burden of heating and hot water preparation. The aim of this study is to determine the energy characteristics of heating a heat-transfer fluid using an electric combined thermal generator equipped with a cryptocurrency mining unit, and to assess the economic feasibility of implementing such devices in apartment buildings. The cryptocurrency generation was performed using ASIC ANTMINER S19 PRO HYDRO units with water cooling. The combined electric water-based thermal generator consisted of a Bitcoin mining module with a maximum capacity of 5 kWh, and an electric joule indirect flow-through heat exchanger module with a maximum capacity of 9 kWh. The energy efficiency coefficients of the mining-based thermal generator were determined. Considering the depreciation of the heat generator's cost, the compensation for electricity rates from cryptocurrency generation amounted to 0.03–0.04 USD/kW annually. Combined electric water-based thermal generators, consisting of an electric joule heating module and a module utilizing hash chips from cryptocurrency mining systems to heat the fluid, demonstrated the potential for application in heating and hot water supply systems for apartment buildings. • The modern design of urban areas calls for a reassessment of heating systems in apartment buildings. • Electric heating offers certain advantages but comes with high energy costs. • Cryptocurrency mining generates heat that can be repurposed for residential heating. • In colder climates, utilizing mining energy can significantly reduce heating expenses.