The Parliament approves a feasibility study on mining, despite opposition from the Executive Council.
The Parliament of the Canton of Bern has approved, with 85 votes in favor and 46 against, the launch of an in-depth study on Bitcoin mining. The initiative, led by the Bitcoin Parliamentary Group comprising 23 cross-party members, could mark a turning point despite resistance from the cantonal executive.
The study will focus on three key aspects: identifying surplus energy sources in the canton, potential collaborations with Swiss miners, and the impact of mining on power grid stability. The reference model is Texas, where integrating mining into energy policies has already shown promising results.
According to the proposal, creating a favorable environment for Bitcoin-related companies could give Bern a competitive edge over other regions aspiring to become innovation hubs for digital assets:
“Bitcoin mining companies bring investments, create jobs and help many parts of the world develop renewable energy sources. For several years now, Bitcoin mining has been one of the greenest industries in the world.”
Through a post on X, parliamentarian Samuel Kullmann commented:
“Even though the debate was heavily influenced by classic FUD arguments and missed the point, the proposal ultimately found a clear majority. […] This result is an expression of the fact that the narrative on Bitcoin is changing.”
The Executive Council, while opposing the initiative, raised concerns about the international scale of energy consumption, noting that the canton is an energy exporter. It also highlighted the growing energy demand from traditional data centers.
