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The importance of sustainability: Why eco-friendly blockchains are the future

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As more and more decentralized applications (DApps), such as GameFi, DeFi, NFTs, and more, are being developed, heated discussions about the environmental impact of blockchain and cryptocurrency have reignited once more. Especially after China’s crackdown on cryptocurrency mining activities, public debates about blockchain and crypto-related energy consumption rates have reached a climax.

Proof of Work’s environmental impact

Since the birth of Bitcoin, the Proof of Work (PoW) consensus mechanism has always been fundamental to the security of blockchain networks. This consensus is reached through computing power, commonly referred to as hash rate.

Over time as blockchain technology is being adopted by the world, the energy consumption rate of the entire blockchain network has skyrocketed, leading to significant environmental costs. The University of Cambridge estimates that Bitcoin mining consumes about 130 TWh per year, accounting for about 0.1% of the world’s total primary energy consumption.

As far as DApp development is concerned, energy consumption-related environmental issues are mostly derived from Ethereum mining, since Ethereum is a PoW blockchain with the largest ecosystem full of projects in varying sizes. With the recent London hard fork, the transition to Ethereum 2.0-a complete Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchain, will be completed as early as 2022. As a result, the current energy consumption per transaction on Ethereum is about 35 kWh, which is equivalent to the energy consumption of a single person in developing countries for 3 days.

The true cost of DApp transactions

While mass crypto adoption is happening around the world, DApps and their applicability will eventually catch up. New projects such as wealth management applications, lending platforms, decentralized exchanges (DEX), NFT-inspired metaverses, and more, that are gradually taking over social media and our lives are the ultimate proof. If you have been paying attention to what’s happening around you, the crypto community’s passion and loyalty towards decentralized, immutable technology are clearly reflected in the real world.

That is certainly good news for crypto enthusiasts, but for the environment, it’s an entirely different story. Take NFTs for example. Memo Atken, a digital artist and engineer, estimates that the true cost of an NFT is much higher than a typical energy consumption of a transaction on Ethereum (35 kWh). He believes that NFT-related transactions will cost much more because all NFTs have to be minted and exchanged multiple times on the blockchain.

He is certainly correct. In fact, an NFT’s creation and distribution do not only consist of a simple mint and sale process. There will be many subsequent transactions made by collectors and traders, which makes the average carbon footprint of each NFT close to 340kWh (an average of 211 kg of CO2), equivalent to a single person’s energy consumption in a developed country for more than a month.

Why eco-friendly blockchains are favored by developers

In early 2021, several public blockchains underwent considerable ecosystem expansion, such as ThunderCore, Solana, Polkadot, and Binance Smart Chain. These blockchains’ ecosystems are in full bloom, as decentralized projects like DAOs, Oracles, Token Bridges, DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, blockchain games, and more, are being deployed consistently. There are many reasons for the expansion of these networks, but one thing they all have in common is that none of them utilize a PoW consensus mechanism (meaning zero physical mining facilities are used). Instead, novel mechanisms, such as PoS, that allow on-chain staking and other models to replace PoW are applied.

Among them, the ThunderCore blockchain uses the state-of-the-art PoS consensus mechanism, PaLa, which not only solves the “scalability trilemma”, but also supports the chain’s entire ecosystem with cheap renewable energy. ThunderCore is an eco-friendly public blockchain, and its CO2 emissions, resulting from on-chain transactions, are reduced by more than 10,000x. For example, its block creation does not require the support of large amounts of energy resources like Bitcoin and Ethereum do. ThunderCore is also EVM compatible, which allows the rapid migration and deployment of Ethereum projects. With low gas fees (<$0.00001), sub-second confirmations, and 4,000+ TPS, ThunderCore has become a platform favored by developers from the world over.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Press Release

ELFBAR’s German Business Is Now Built Around Reusable Pod Systems

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The brand holds about 60 percent of the country’s pod system market and around 80 percent of its German shipments are in reusable formats, with four products honoured this year by the German Design Award and the CMF Design Awards

United States, 1st Jun 2026,
 

Global vape brand ELFBAR today set out how its German business has shifted toward reusable pod systems over the past several product cycles, following recognition of four of its products by the German Design Award and the International CMF Design Awards in 2026.
 

ELFBAR's German Business Is Now Built Around Reusable Pod Systems

The two juries honoured the ELFX Mini, the ELFX 2, the ELFA Master Stein and the ELFA pod system. The group together accounts for a meaningful share of ELFBAR’s German sales. The German Design Award is organised by the German Design Council. The International CMF Design Awards evaluates excellence in colour, material and finish. ELFA Master Stein and ELFX Mini are now available in Germany.

What the data shows

According to internal company data, ELFBAR holds about 60 percent of the German pod system category. That makes it the largest player in the country’s largest vape submarket. Prefilled and refillable products — the ELFX and ELFA pod systems and the ELFLIQ e-liquid range — make up roughly 80 percent of the company’s shipments to Germany. Single-use formats, once a defining part of the category, no longer drive the brand’s German business.

The product mix has shifted gradually rather than overnight. The change reflects deliberate prioritisation inside the company: ELFBAR has steadily reduced the share of single-use formats in its German offer and reinvested behind devices that can be refilled, recharged and serviced over a longer life.

Design language

The shift toward reusable formats has been accompanied by a change in how ELFBAR’s products look and feel. The ELFX and ELFA series — including the four products honoured this year — share a quieter design vocabulary than the bright single-use silhouettes that defined the category’s earliest growth. Colour palettes are subdued. Casings are contoured for one-handed use. Materials are selected for grip and longevity. Branding is small.

“Good design should feel confident, not loud,” said Becky Liu, Head of Industrial Design at ELFBAR. “With ELFX and ELFA, we focus on a clean-cut form, precision, and a calm material touch-feel to bring an elegant and intuitive user experience.”

That visual approach has now been independently endorsed. The German Design Award named the ELFX Mini and the ELFA Master Stein as 2026 winners. The CMF Design Awards recognised both the ELFA Master Stein and the ELFX 2. The combined recognition applies standards normally used to assess mainstream consumer electronics to a category that has historically been judged on different terms.

The reusable approach in practice

ELFBAR describes its reusable design approach in three working principles, drawn from how the products are engineered and sold rather than from marketing language.

The first is that components are designed to be replaceable. Pods, cartridges and, in some models, batteries can be exchanged so that the body of the device stays in use beyond the life of any single consumable.

The second is that everyday friction is engineered out of the product. Visible e-liquid windows, magnetically secured cartridges, structured status displays and adjustable airflow and power settings are integrated to reduce small daily annoyances that often push users back to single-use products.

The third is that safety features are built into the cartridge. The ELFX POD 2.0 generation, which launches with ELFX 2 in Germany in June 2026, adds a child lock, an upgraded airway for richer flavour, and a 5A leakproof system designed to contain e-liquid during everyday use.

The regulatory backdrop

The shift inside ELFBAR’s German business has played out against a broader change in European regulation. National-level restrictions on disposable products, higher expectations around packaging and e-waste, and closer scrutiny of product safety have all put pressure on bright, short-lived devices. Brands able to demonstrate genuine reusability, supported by replaceable components, accessible spare parts and durable design, are increasingly separated by retailers and regulators from those that cannot.

ELFBAR’s German position is being treated inside the company as a test case for how the rest of its European business will be structured. The plan is to introduce the award-winning ELFX and ELFA designs to additional European markets in due course, with ELFX 2 leading the next wave from Germany in June 2026.

— ENDS —

About ELFBAR

ELFBAR is a pioneer in the global vaping industry. Since its inception in 2018, it has been providing a distinct and diverse vaping experience with innovation at its core. ELFBAR stays committed to youth access prevention and sustainable growth as a leading brand favoured and used by tens of millions of adult smokers and ex-smokers worldwide as an alternative to smoking. For more information, please visit elfbar.de.

Media Contact

Organization: HG INNOVATION LIMITED

Contact
Person:
Media Relations

Website:

https://www.elfbar.de/

Email:

marketing@elfbar.de

Country:United States

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ELFBAR’s German Business Is Now Built Around Reusable Pod Systems
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Brand News 24.
It is provided by a third-party content
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warranties or representations in connection with it.

About Author

Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Press Release

ELFBAR’s German Business Is Now Built Around Reusable Pod Systems

Published

on

The brand holds about 60 percent of the country’s pod system market and around 80 percent of its German shipments are in reusable formats, with four products honoured this year by the German Design Award and the CMF Design Awards

United States, 1st Jun 2026,
 

Global vape brand ELFBAR today set out how its German business has shifted toward reusable pod systems over the past several product cycles, following recognition of four of its products by the German Design Award and the International CMF Design Awards in 2026.
 

ELFBAR's German Business Is Now Built Around Reusable Pod Systems

The two juries honoured the ELFX Mini, the ELFX 2, the ELFA Master Stein and the ELFA pod system. The group together accounts for a meaningful share of ELFBAR’s German sales. The German Design Award is organised by the German Design Council. The International CMF Design Awards evaluates excellence in colour, material and finish. ELFA Master Stein and ELFX Mini are now available in Germany.

What the data shows

According to internal company data, ELFBAR holds about 60 percent of the German pod system category. That makes it the largest player in the country’s largest vape submarket. Prefilled and refillable products — the ELFX and ELFA pod systems and the ELFLIQ e-liquid range — make up roughly 80 percent of the company’s shipments to Germany. Single-use formats, once a defining part of the category, no longer drive the brand’s German business.

The product mix has shifted gradually rather than overnight. The change reflects deliberate prioritisation inside the company: ELFBAR has steadily reduced the share of single-use formats in its German offer and reinvested behind devices that can be refilled, recharged and serviced over a longer life.

Design language

The shift toward reusable formats has been accompanied by a change in how ELFBAR’s products look and feel. The ELFX and ELFA series — including the four products honoured this year — share a quieter design vocabulary than the bright single-use silhouettes that defined the category’s earliest growth. Colour palettes are subdued. Casings are contoured for one-handed use. Materials are selected for grip and longevity. Branding is small.

“Good design should feel confident, not loud,” said Becky Liu, Head of Industrial Design at ELFBAR. “With ELFX and ELFA, we focus on a clean-cut form, precision, and a calm material touch-feel to bring an elegant and intuitive user experience.”

That visual approach has now been independently endorsed. The German Design Award named the ELFX Mini and the ELFA Master Stein as 2026 winners. The CMF Design Awards recognised both the ELFA Master Stein and the ELFX 2. The combined recognition applies standards normally used to assess mainstream consumer electronics to a category that has historically been judged on different terms.

The reusable approach in practice

ELFBAR describes its reusable design approach in three working principles, drawn from how the products are engineered and sold rather than from marketing language.

The first is that components are designed to be replaceable. Pods, cartridges and, in some models, batteries can be exchanged so that the body of the device stays in use beyond the life of any single consumable.

The second is that everyday friction is engineered out of the product. Visible e-liquid windows, magnetically secured cartridges, structured status displays and adjustable airflow and power settings are integrated to reduce small daily annoyances that often push users back to single-use products.

The third is that safety features are built into the cartridge. The ELFX POD 2.0 generation, which launches with ELFX 2 in Germany in June 2026, adds a child lock, an upgraded airway for richer flavour, and a 5A leakproof system designed to contain e-liquid during everyday use.

The regulatory backdrop

The shift inside ELFBAR’s German business has played out against a broader change in European regulation. National-level restrictions on disposable products, higher expectations around packaging and e-waste, and closer scrutiny of product safety have all put pressure on bright, short-lived devices. Brands able to demonstrate genuine reusability, supported by replaceable components, accessible spare parts and durable design, are increasingly separated by retailers and regulators from those that cannot.

ELFBAR’s German position is being treated inside the company as a test case for how the rest of its European business will be structured. The plan is to introduce the award-winning ELFX and ELFA designs to additional European markets in due course, with ELFX 2 leading the next wave from Germany in June 2026.

— ENDS —

About ELFBAR

ELFBAR is a pioneer in the global vaping industry. Since its inception in 2018, it has been providing a distinct and diverse vaping experience with innovation at its core. ELFBAR stays committed to youth access prevention and sustainable growth as a leading brand favoured and used by tens of millions of adult smokers and ex-smokers worldwide as an alternative to smoking. For more information, please visit elfbar.de.

Media Contact

Organization: HG INNOVATION LIMITED

Contact
Person:
Media Relations

Website:

https://www.elfbar.de/

Email:

marketing@elfbar.de

Country:United States

The post
ELFBAR’s German Business Is Now Built Around Reusable Pod Systems
appeared first on
Brand News 24.
It is provided by a third-party content
provider. Brand News 24 makes no
warranties or representations in connection with it.

About Author

Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

Continue Reading

Press Release

ELFBAR to Launch Award-Winning ELFX 2 Pod System in Germany in June 2026

Published

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Reusable device debuts with the new ELFX POD 2.0 generation, featuring a child lock, an upgraded airway and a 5A leakproof system

United States, 1st Jun 2026,
 

Global vape brand ELFBAR will launch the ELFX 2, a reusable pod system already honoured by the International CMF Design Awards, in Germany in June 2026. The device will be the first in the company’s lineup to ship with the new ELFX POD 2.0 cartridge generation, which adds three upgrades focused on safety, flavour delivery and leakage protection.

ELFBAR to Launch Award-Winning ELFX 2 Pod System in Germany in June 2026
ELFX 2 will go on sale through ELFBAR’s authorised retail and online channels. Specific on-sale dates, pricing and full channel availability will be confirmed closer to launch. The product is intended for adult smokers and ex-smokers as an alternative to combustible tobacco.

What is new in ELFX POD 2.0

The ELFX POD 2.0 cartridge generation ships standard with ELFX 2 in Germany and changes three things from the prior generation.

The first is a child lock. The dedicated locking mechanism is designed to make unintended activation by a child significantly less likely. The feature reflects ELFBAR’s youth access prevention commitments and aligns with European regulatory expectations around pod-level safety engineering.

The second is an upgraded internal airway. The redesigned airflow path is tuned for more consistent flavour expression across the life of the pod. This is an area where adult users moving from disposable to reusable formats have historically reported the largest gap.

The third is a 5A leakproof system. The architecture is intended to keep e-liquid contained during everyday pocket carry, temperature change and travel. Leakage has been one of the most common complaints across the wider pod system category, and addressing it has been a focus of ELFBAR’s engineering team for the past two product cycles.

The device itself

ELFX 2 is a reusable device with a refillable architecture, a rechargeable battery and replaceable pods. Its physical design earned the CMF Design Award earlier this year, in a cycle that also recognised the ELFA Master Stein. Sister product ELFX Mini, alongside the ELFA Master Stein, won the German Design Award in the same year. ELFA Master Stein and ELFX Mini are now available in Germany.

The casing is contoured for one-handed grip. The colour palette is subdued and the material finish is low-gloss. Pods are held in place magnetically and click into position without alignment effort. The e-liquid window keeps refill timing intuitive. The status display communicates battery and pod state at a glance. Airflow and power settings can be adjusted by the user.

“Good design should feel confident, not loud,” said Becky Liu, Head of Industrial Design at ELFBAR. “With ELFX and ELFA, we focus on a clean-cut form, precision, and a calm material touch-feel to bring an elegant and intuitive user experience.”

Why Germany first

Germany is ELFBAR’s largest European market. The company reports a 60 percent share of the country’s pod system category, based on internal data. Prefilled and refillable products — including the ELFX and ELFA pod systems and the ELFLIQ e-liquid range — make up roughly 80 percent of its German shipments. The country has also been the first market to receive several previous ELFBAR product introductions, and the company’s local distribution footprint is the deepest of any of its European markets.

The June launch puts ELFX 2 into German retail at the same moment that European regulators are tightening rules on disposable formats and packaging waste. Reusable pod systems with replaceable components are increasingly being treated by retailers as a separate product category from disposable vapes, and ELFX 2 is positioned within that distinction.

European rollout to follow

ELFX 2 will be the lead product in ELFBAR’s broader European introduction of the award-winning ELFX and ELFA designs. Subsequent market launches will follow Germany in waves. Dates, pricing and channel partners will be communicated market by market.

— ENDS —

About ELFBAR

ELFBAR is a pioneer in the global vaping industry. Since its inception in 2018, it has been providing a distinct and diverse vaping experience with innovation at its core. ELFBAR stays committed to youth access prevention and sustainable growth as a leading brand favoured and used by tens of millions of adult smokers and ex-smokers worldwide as an alternative to smoking. For more information, please visit elfbar.de.

Media Contact

Organization: HG INNOVATION LIMITED

Contact
Person:
Media Relations

Website:

https://www.elfbar.de/

Email:

marketing@elfbar.de

Country:United States

The post
ELFBAR to Launch Award-Winning ELFX 2 Pod System in Germany in June 2026
appeared first on
Brand News 24.
It is provided by a third-party content
provider. Brand News 24 makes no
warranties or representations in connection with it.

About Author

Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

Continue Reading

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