Blockstream and Block Inc are laying the groundwork for the first 100% solar-powered Bitcoin data center in Texas.
Blockstream and Block Inc (the fintech owned by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey) have teamed up to create a Bitcoin mining complex in Texas, which will be entirely powered by solar energy.
The data center they are building in the Lone Star State will be powered by a 3,8-megawatt solar panel array and a 12-megawatt “Megapack” battery which will store excess solar energy during daylight hours and allow the installation to continue operating during dark hours.
Both the solar panel array and the megabattery will be developed by Tesla and will be part of the proof of concept with which the three companies intend to develop a 100% renewable Bitcoin mining system.
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Blockstream noted via its Twitter account that it aims to create a 30 PH/s hashrate facility, with the aim of showing the world that zero-emission Bitcoin mining is viable.
Tesla, Blockstream and Block Inc, a public project
Information on the construction and operation of the project will be completely public. In this sense, the Data and performance metrics will be displayed in real time, including potential and total BTC mined.
Blockstream has also committed to providing full information on the performance data of the solar panels and storage system. data center.
“This is a major step toward proving our thesis that Bitcoin mining can fund zero-emission energy infrastructure and generate economic growth for the future.” Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream.
The next step: wind energy
Adam Back has noted that if solar power proves profitable during the pilot phase, the next step for the company will be to create Installations that operate with solar and wind batteries, which seeks to scale the project.
Tesla's batteries are a very important part of the initiative, as the solar panels produce 3,8 megawatts of energy, of which only 1 megawatt is used for mining tasks.
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The surplus energy is stored in batteries that supply the mining equipment during the hours with less sunlight and at night.
Adding wind power in the next phase can reduce overhead costs and balance out solar downtime.
Texas: A Hub for Clean Bitcoin Mining
Many Bitcoin mining companies are opting to use renewable energy to power their data centersIn this sense, Texas is becoming a mining hub for many of the companies that had to escape from China and Kazakhstan.
This is because the state offers opportunities to use renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind or surplus natural gas from oil drilling, something that companies like Exxon are already implementing.
Continue reading: Norway produces 1% of the world's Bitcoin hashrate with renewable energy
