Has anyone attempted to pay people in cold places to install a compact ASIC like the Spondolies SP20 to heat up their homes?
This is how I see it can work.
1. Load the ASIC up with firmware that locks out the mining pool config from being changed.
2. Provide the "heater" (ASIC) for free, and pay for 50% of the electricity running costs.
3. Effectively mine bitcoins at 50% of the normal electricity costs, with no warehousing costs.
4. During spring, have the residents return the miners and ship them to another region that is now winter.
I like the idea, I really do, but I see a few problems.
Places that are so cold and would be willing to get involved in such a plan to save money, probably won't have the best Internet in the world.
Point 4 seems like the biggest issue to me. In the northern hemisphere there are lots of cold places in winter, but in spring it is only autumn in the southern hemisphere, not winter anywhere. Because of how the countries lie, nowhere is as far south as the far north countries are north, so not too many places where people actually live would be suitable for such mining. Patagonia or small islands in the pacific might be ok, but good luck get in touch with them in the first place!
I would say finding someone in northern Alaska or Iceland would be easier, then hope for a cold year!
