{"id":45459,"date":"2025-03-27T10:31:42","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T10:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crypto-globe.com\/?p=45459"},"modified":"2025-03-27T10:51:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T10:51:49","slug":"bbc-zambia-mines-bitcoin-thanks-to-cheap-electricity-helps-local-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crypto-globe.com\/en\/bbc-zambia-mines-bitcoin-thanks-to-cheap-electricity-helps-local-community\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC: Zambia mines bitcoin thanks to cheap electricity, helps local community"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kenyan firm Gridless is mining bitcoins in Zambia, where it has placed 120 computers in a shipping container near the border with Congo.<\/strong> It uses surplus cheap electricity from a hydroelectric plant on the Zambezi River that would otherwise not be sold.<\/strong> This not only mines bitcoin, but also helps keep electricity prices low for locals, the<\/strong> BBC reports<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bitcoin mining helps keep the hydroelectric plant running<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Company owner Philip Walton says each computer mining bitcoins earns about five dollars a day, with profits fluctuating according to the price of the cryptocurrency<\/a>. But thanks to cheap electricity and a partnership with an energy company, the company can remain profitable even when the price of bitcoin drops. The Zengamina hydroelectric plant that supplies the company with power gets a cut of its revenue, which helps keep funding stable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Zengamina power plant supplies electricity to approximately 15,000 residents and was originally established through charitable donations to provide power to a local hospital. However, due to low electricity consumption, the project has long struggled with financial sustainability. Mining bitcoins<\/a> now accounts for about 30% of its revenue, allowing it to cover its operating costs while keeping energy prices low for the local community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bitcoin mining in jeopardy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Soon, however, mining in the area will become unprofitable as the plant has received investment to expand to more villages and connect to the national grid. It will start selling the excess energy now used by miners back to the national grid. But Gridless<\/a> is already planning to move its operations to other areas with unused power – it has six similar projects in three African countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the company wants to build its own hydroelectric plants to mine bitcoins while supplying electricity to rural areas.<\/strong> While the project seeks to harness untapped energy, it has faced criticism for its high electricity consumption. Examples from Kazakhstan and the US<\/a> show that massive bitcoin mining can put a strain on power grids, leading to tighter regulations and restrictions from governments and authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: Reuters <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kenyan firm Gridless is mining bitcoins in Zambia, where it has placed 120 computers in a shipping container near the border with Congo. It uses surplus cheap electricity from a hydroelectric plant on the Zambezi River that would otherwise not be sold. This not only mines bitcoin, but also helps keep electricity prices low for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":45451,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[99,93],"class_list":["post-45459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-crypto","tag-bitcoin-en","tag-cryptocurrencies"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t