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Explore XRP Ledger's Sustainability

Dashboard
MiCA Regulation
Methodology

At XRPL Commons, we are convinced that blockchain technology holds the promise to underpin and amplify a lasting positive influence on the world. Understanding and assessing sustainability metrics is crucial for various stakeholders, including corporates, developers, and investors, for several reasons:

Differentiator

Energy efficiency is key for decision-making by corporates, developers, and investors.

Mitigation

Proper data drives climate goals achievement via energy reduction/offsetting.

Transparency

Climate disclosure informs users, regulators, and the public about XRPL's environmental impact.

Regulation

Compliance with regulations like EU MiCA mandates climate impact disclosure.

XRP Ledger Metrics

Carbon Footprint
Emissions/year
Emissions/1 XRP
Emissions/transaction
Values as of
Electricity Consumption
Consumption/year
Consumption/1 XRP
Consumption/transaction
Values as of

Historical data

Carbon footprint (kCO2eq)
Values as of
Electricity consumption (kWh)
Values as of

Our Electricity Consumption and Carbon Emissions

Carbon Footprint
Annual carbon emissions of the XRPL network equal 12 Paris to New York flights.
XRP Ledger avg. emissions/year
Paris > NYC flight avg. emissions
One transaction on the XRP ledger equals the delivery of 123 emails.
XRP Ledger avg. emissions/transaction
1 Email delivery avg. emissions
Values as of 05/24/2024
Electricity consumption
Annual electricity consumption of the XRPL network equals 20k average UK households.
XRP Ledger avg. consumption/year
UK household  avg. consumption/year
The emission of one XRP is equal to 186 Google searches.
XRP Ledger avg. consumption/transaction
1 Google search avg. consumption
Values as of 05/24/2024

Data provided by

Learn more

WEBINAR 1
Elaborating a Decarbonization Strategy for the XRPL
WEBINAR 2
Update on MiCA Regulations and the XRPL Carbon Assessment
BREAKOUT SESSION
Making the XRP Ledger more Sustainable

MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) Regulation defines roles and responsibilities for entities within the crypto ecosystem. Among other requirements, CASPs (Crypto-Asset Service Providers) and Crypto-Asset Issuers must disclose the sustainability metrics of their currencies.

XRP Ledger Metrics

ESMA's Consultation Package 2 proposes mandatory disclosure for a large set of quantitative climate and environment-related indicators.
Energy
Adverse Sustainability Factor
XRP Ledger
Description
Desc.
Energy
Energy consumption
53763 kWh
Total amount of energy used, expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per calendar year, for the validation of transactions and the maintenance of the integrity of the XRP ledger.
Non-renewable energy consumption
71.59 %
Share of energy used generated from nonrenewable sources, expressed as a percentage of the total amount of energy used per calendar year on the XRP ledger.Total amount of energy used, expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per calendar year, for the validation of transactions and the maintenance of the integrity of the XRP ledger.
Energy intensity
0.0022 Wh
Average amount of energy used, in kWh, per validated transaction.Total amount of energy used, expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per calendar year, for the validation of transactions and the maintenance of the integrity of the XRP ledger.
GHG Emissions
Scope 1 - Controlled
0 t
Scope 1 GHG emissions, expressed in tonnes (t) carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) per calendar yearfor the validation of transactions and the maintenance of the integrity of the XRP ledger.
Scope 2 - Purchased
23.56 t
Scope 2 GHG emissions, expressed in tCO₂e per calendar year for the validation of transactions and the maintenance of the integrity of the XRP ledger.
GHG intensity
9.7E-07 kg
Average GHG emissions (scope 1 and scope 2) per validated transaction, expressed in kilogram (kg) CO₂e per transaction (Tx).
Waste Production
Generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
0.5 t
Generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
Non-recycled WEEE ratio
74,36 %
Share of the total amount of WEEE generated for the validation of transactions and the maintenance of the integrity of the XRP ledger, not recycled per calendar year, expressed as a percentage.
Generation of hazardous waste
0.0003 t
Total amount of hazardous waste generated for the validation of transactions and the maintenance of the integrity of the XRP ledger, expressed in tonnes per calendar year.
Natural Resources
Impact of the use of equipment on natural resources
339.56 m^3
Description of the impact on natural resources of the production, the use and the disposal of the devices of the XRPL network nodes. The impact on natural resources, such as water, is largely driven by the magnitude of the electricity consumed by the network and the related equipment.

Data provided by

XRPL is committed to environmental stewardship and advancing blockchain technology in a way that is both sustainable and responsible. This methodology page outlines our comprehensive approach to measuring, mitigating, and transparently reporting the environmental impact of the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

Assessment Methodology

Scope definition

Our sustainability assessment encompasses both core and extended aspects of XRPL's operations:
Core Scope

This involves primary network operations, including transaction validations, consensus activities, and basic network functionalities.

Extended Scope

This includes peripheral activities such as node setups, additional services, and network-associated operations.

Key steps

1
Hardware Selection
We begin by analyzing the network and its minimum hardware requirements to select a representative hardware sample.
2
Hardware Measurement
Full nodes are run on all selected hardware devices, and their electricity consumption is measured.
3
Electricity Consumption
We estimate the total network electricity consumption by scaling measurement results with the total node count.
4
Performance Metrics
Examination of the number of transactions helps derive marginal electricity consumption per transaction.
5
Carbon Footprint
Data on node locations are gathered to calculate the network's carbon footprint via emission factors.

Results of XRPL Core & Extended Footprint Assessment

Carbon Footprint Calculation
Our methodology calculates the carbon footprint across various operational aspects:
Direct Emissions are calculated from known energy consumption data directly linked to XRPL's primary operations.
Indirect Emissions include emissions from peripheral activities and secondary services that support the network.
Continuous Improvement & Updating
We constantly refine our methodologies and data collection techniques based on technological advances and stakeholder feedback.
Validator Inputs: Insights are collected to gather detailed information about the hardware setups and energy consumption patterns of XRPL validators.
Automated Data Retrieval: We use scripts to crawl .toml files from the network to capture real-time operational data, ensuring the data's accuracy and timeliness.

Transparency & Reporting

Dashboard

Our sustainability dashboard provides real-time insights into the network's energy consumption and carbon emissions, which are accessible publicly to ensure transparency.

Updates

We periodically publish detailed reports and updates on our sustainability practices and outcomes.

Stakeholder engagement

Community Involvement

We actively involve our community in sustainability discussions and decision-making through forums and consultations.

Partner Collaboration

We collaborate with environmental experts and other blockchain networks to collectively share best practices and improve our sustainability measures.

Get involved!

Making the XRPL protocol more sustainable is a community project.

Are you a community member ?

Get in touch to join our regular discussions to identify & implement decarbonisation levers, share best practices and empower virtuous business models.

Get in touch
Are you a validator?

Please fill in our Validator Data Request. This will help us better understand the energy consumption of the XRPL network. Your input is indispensable to us!

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