<p>Your first point is indeed right: The BTC puzzle is only useful for ensuring the security of the blockchain.</p>

<p>Onto your next question: One of the first attempts to define a "useful" PoW was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primecoin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Primecoin</a>, created back in 2013. Additional research in this area <a href="https://eprint.iacr.org/2017/203.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">is being done</a>.</p>

<p>In defense of Bitcoin's PoW, some people have said that Bitcoin mining tends to use up energy that would otherwise go to waste. For instance, if a hydroelectric plant is no longer being used for its original industrial purposes, then it can instead be harnessed for BTC mining. Mining on fossil fuels is currently unprofitable.</p>

<p>Of course, a more "useful" PoW could harness this energy for something even better. But even then you have to weigh up the pros and cons of switching BTC/ETH to such a PoW function. And you'll probably come up short.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T09:02:09.040Z
Why should a hydroelectric plant no longer be used? Energy plants are expensive, energy is expensive - so why should energy go to waste anywhere in the world?
Hans-Peter Stricker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T09:04:56.923Z
Hydroelectric plants produce energy regardless of whether there is demand for it. Some of it can go to waste. The energy *could* be stored in batteries and released on demand, but I don't know how practical that is.
wlad
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T09:06:36.087Z
Additionally, it's easy for BTC miners to "move in" and soak up unused energy
wlad
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T09:32:00.193Z
What do you mean with "move in"?
Hans-Peter Stricker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T09:32:42.220Z
ship the ASIC equipment and start mining
wlad
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T09:36:14.387Z
For example to Africa or India? Ship the equipment and pay for "energy mining" rights?
Hans-Peter Stricker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T08:51:48.090Z
2019-09-16T08:51:48.090Z
wlad
<p>I'm new to this community and a Bitcoin novice. </p>

<p>I believe to have understood the concept and purpose of <a href="https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Proof_of_work" rel="nofollow noreferrer">proof of work</a> but also, that the high energy consumption of proofs of work is a major problem of the Bitcoin (and other blockchain based) systems.</p>

<p>The puzzle that need to be solved for the proof of work has to be complex:</p>

<ul>
<li>computing the <a href="https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Cryptographic_nonce" rel="nofollow noreferrer">cryptographic nonce</a> (as used in the Bitcoin system)</li>
<li>solving complex differential equations</li>
<li>operations on dense matrices</li>
</ul>

<p>I wonder if my impression is correct that these puzzles' only purpose is to provide authentication, esp. for the right to mine new bitcoins -  and that they are otherwise "useless".</p>

<p>More than that I wonder if there are attempts to define complex proof of work puzzles that fulfill other purposes that are more beneficial/useful/valuable to - let's say society - which would justify the high energy consumption.</p>

<p>You may compare this with Google's <a href="https://www.wikiwand.com/en/ReCAPTCHA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ReCAPTCHAs</a> that next to authentication "assist in the digitization of books or improve machine learning".</p>

<security><proof-of-work><proof-of-stake><authentication>
Beneficial proofs of work
Hans-Peter Stricker
# Beneficial proofs of work

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-09-16)

I'm new to this community and a Bitcoin novice.

I believe to have understood the concept and purpose of [proof of work](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Proof_of_work) but also, that the high energy consumption of proofs of work is a major problem of the Bitcoin (and other blockchain based) systems.

The puzzle that need to be solved for the proof of work has to be complex:

* computing the [cryptographic nonce](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Cryptographic_nonce) (as used in the Bitcoin system)
* solving complex differential equations
* operations on dense matrices

I wonder if my impression is correct that these puzzles' only purpose is to provide authentication, esp. for the right to mine new bitcoins - and that they are otherwise "useless".

More than that I wonder if there are attempts to define complex proof of work puzzles that fulfill other purposes that are more beneficial/useful/valuable to - let's say society - which would justify the high energy consumption.

You may compare this with Google's [ReCAPTCHAs](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/ReCAPTCHA) that next to authentication "assist in the digitization of books or improve machine learning".

**Tags:** security, proof-of-work, proof-of-stake, authentication


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-09-16. Score: 1

Your first point is indeed right: The BTC puzzle is only useful for ensuring the security of the blockchain.

Onto your next question: One of the first attempts to define a "useful" PoW was [Primecoin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primecoin), created back in 2013. Additional research in this area [is being done](https://eprint.iacr.org/2017/203.pdf).

In defense of Bitcoin's PoW, some people have said that Bitcoin mining tends to use up energy that would otherwise go to waste. For instance, if a hydroelectric plant is no longer being used for its original industrial purposes, then it can instead be harnessed for BTC mining. Mining on fossil fuels is currently unprofitable.

Of course, a more "useful" PoW could harness this energy for something even better. But even then you have to weigh up the pros and cons of switching BTC/ETH to such a PoW function. And you'll probably come up short.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Why should a hydroelectric plant no longer be used? Energy plants are expensive, energy is expensive - so why should energy go to waste anywhere in the world?  
> **username_1**: Hydroelectric plants produce energy regardless of whether there is demand for it. Some of it can go to waste. The energy *could* be stored in batteries and released on demand, but I don't know how practical that is.  
> **username_1**: Additionally, it's easy for BTC miners to "move in" and soak up unused energy  
> **username_0**: What do you mean with "move in"?  
> **username_1**: ship the ASIC equipment and start mining  
> **username_0**: For example to Africa or India? Ship the equipment and pay for "energy mining" rights?  

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