According to a new research paper from MIT, claims by Bitcoin miners that they provide a net benefit to the power grid and use renewable energy should be examined more closely. The paper cites an agreement between large flexible load operators in Texas and the state’s energy operator, ERCOT.

During a winter storm in December, miners were able to switch off power to satisfy a 1.4-gigawatt demand increase, but the authors argue that the cost of adding Bitcoin mining to the power grid must be factored in to measure the grid-balancing benefits. Additionally, the paper notes the importance of verifying miners’ energy mix to mitigate climate concerns and avoid greenwashing.