A single transaction on Solana’s network uses just 1,836 Joules (J) of energy, which is less energy than two Google searches (1,080J) and 26 times less than using a computer with a monitor for an hour (46,800J), according to a report from the Solana Foundation.
The report revealed that having a refrigerator on for an hour uses 810,000J, while a single Bitcoin transaction uses seven billion Joules of energy.
Solana relies on a proof of stake mechanism, which is substantially less energy-intensive than the proof of work mining method that is used by Bitcoin.
As a result, the whole Solana network uses much less energy – further described by Solana as approximately the same amount as 986 American households per year.
Solana commissioned Robert Murphy, formerly an energy specialist at the World Bank, to conduct a report to "frame the environmental impact" of the network.
The report outlined that the foundation intends to further cut its network energy usage to become carbon neutral and counterbalance the environmental footprint of the ecosystem by the end of 2021.