Flare, the layer-1 Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) blockchain, went live on Jan. 10 after it launched two core protocols for decentralized interoperability applications. The blockchain network allows developers to create applications that are interoperable between various blockchain ecosystems and internet platforms. Less than one month later, on March 2, Flare welcomed the nonfungible token (NFT) platform Sparkles on its layer 1 oracle network. According to the announcement a primary goal of the Sparkles NFT platform is to hone in on the interoperability of native Flare protocols to increase use cases for NFT utility. The NFT platform has plans to target …

What are the real-world challenges of implementing NFTs at scale across supply chains? Technology is often only a means to an end and is seldom a silver bullet. There are several real-world issues that can hinder progress with rolling out NFTs and blockchains across supply chains globally. The benefits of digital twins for real-world goods can’t be underestimated. However, today’s supply chains globally are extremely intermediated and run on trust. A farmer in Africa sells their produce to an intermediary as they have for years. This develops a certain amount of trust between the two parties. As a result, resistance …

Blockchain technology has long been a part of the revolution in global supply chain management and the agricultural business. However, as the world continues to face the adverse effects of global warming and the increasing need to change how companies approach natural resources, this technology has an even larger role to play. Deforestation is one of the main contributing factors to the rapid increase in the net global temperature. Forests make up an essential part of the flora and biological diversity of the planet, and as industrialization and urbanization set in, deforestation is becoming an evident problem. Blockchain technology and …

The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, brings together global leaders and thinkers across various industries to hone in on global issues each year. As the world of crypto and blockchain continues to push into the mainstream view, it, too, has become a topic of discussion at the legacy event. Cointelegraph editor-in-chief Kristina Lucrezia Cornèr moderated a panel on Jan. 17, which touched on sustainability efforts in the blockchain industry. Even though not all panelists come from the same background, they unanimously highlighted education and learning as the key way to drive sustainability in emerging technologies during "The emergence …

While 2021 will primarily be remembered for the explosive price appreciation seen across crypto assets and NFTs, blockchain gaming also saw a rapid expansion in user adoption and blossomed into taking up more than 50% of all activity across the blockchain industry. Most of these Web3 games employ a play-to-earn (P2E) economic design where players are rewarded for their time, efforts, and in-game accomplishments. Combining the core gameplay with economic mechanics, most P2E Web3 games rely on rewarding gamers with in-game items in the form of NFTs or with the platform’s native tokens. This model, however, has proven to be …

The agricultural industry went through a major metamorphosis during the industrial revolution, and it might be set for another groundbreaking evolutionary stage now. With the rise of blockchain technology, the farming and agricultural sectors are witnessing a lot of innovation and improvements. According to the founders of AgTech company Dimitra, the opportunities for the agricultural sector to benefit from blockchain-based tech are endless. Find out more about the future of AgTech in the latest Cointelegraph Interview below. Agriculture and technology merge Q: Is the adoption of blockchain technology becoming more widespread across the agricultural industry? What are the main challenges …

In recent years, taking care of the environment has been elevated to a global priority, as evidenced by carbon dioxide emissions hitting a new record high in 2021 at 414.72 parts per million according to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate.gov website. Recognizing the impact these emissions are having on climate change, many countries have announced their efforts to achieve net-zero emissions. The United States shared its plan for environmental commodity measurement via the Bureau of Economic Analysis, while Denmark leads the charge with a plan to hit net-zero emissions before 2050. By reaching net zero, a …

Sustainability-focused Bitcoin (BTC) mining company CleanSpark has snapped up another 3,843 cryptocurrency miners amid a backdrop of mining industry consolidation. The $5.9 million purchase of the Antminer S19J Pro Bitcoin miners announced by the company on Nov. 1 came at a price of $15.50 per terahash — far cheaper than the current market price of $22.94 for a machine with the same efficiency according to data from Hashrate Index. The purchase has brought its total number of machines to around 50,000 according to the company. CleanSpark said it's purchased 26,500 miners since the start of the "bear market conditions" — …

It’s another win for Bitcoin miners and the environment. A Dutch Bitcoiner has installed a Bitcoin (BTC) miner in a warehouse to replace the heating system powered by natural gas. Why? Because it’s cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and uses solar power. Our latest installation heats a warehouse with electricity instead of natural gas. We’ve installed manual valves to guide airflow. The sound has been attenuated under 40db with a large damper. The people that work in the warehouse enjoy the warm temperature and low sound. pic.twitter.com/fcdEUlqiuN — Bitcoin Brabant (@BitcoinBrabant) October 5, 2022 Bert de Groot is the founder of …

The Metaverse is quickly becoming one of the most important places for companies and individuals looking to expand their reach. New findings from research firm MarketsandMarkets predict that the Metaverse market size will grow from $61.8 billion in 2022 to $426.9 billion by 2027. In addition, a recent report from Juniper Research links nonfungible token (NFT) growth to metaverse use cases. According to these findings, metaverse-related NFTs will experience an increase from 600,000 transactions in 2022 to 9.8 million by 2027. Given this potential, a number of regions across the globe have started to establish a virtual presence. For example, …

Using nonfungible tokens (NFTs) as carbon credits, or carbon offsets, reveals an outlet for Web3 technology to foster a more environmentally friendly future. NFTs as carbon credits are a slow-rolling trend in the refinance market and decentralized finance (DeFi). Most of this activity currently takes place on the Polygon (MATIC) blockchain, as it has already offset its entire carbon footprint. However, the way these digital assets work with carbon credits differs from other ventures in the space. Rather than a store of wealth or a piece of unique digital art, carbon credit NFTs serve as a repository of information related …

The energy use and sustainability of blockchain technology is a burning topic. But some projects are seeking to ensure their activities are eco-friendly — all while giving environmentally conscious consumers an option to go green. One of them is GRNGrid. Here, founder and CMO John Errol de Vroede tells us more about the platform's sustainability credentials, how this is achieved, and why its approach to Proof-of-Stake avoids common pitfalls surrounding centralization. 1. Hello! Can you simply explain what your project does? GRNGrid is an environmentally friendly, scalable and stable Layer 1 blockchain, with novel DeFi features. These features give everyone …