The parliament of the Swiss canton of Bern has approved a motion to explore Bitcoin mining as a way to utilize surplus energy and stabilize the power grid. The initiative was proposed by the cross-party parliamentary group Bitcoin on March 14, 2024, and was passed by the Grand Council with a decisive result of 85 votes to 46 despite opposition from the government. The initiative instructs a government committee to evaluate how Bitcoin mining can repurpose unused energy and create economic opportunities. (Decrypt)