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Topic: Mining and Solar Electricity (Read 4616 times)

newbie
Activity: 24
Merit: 0
September 21, 2014, 06:10:07 PM
#56
Bitcoin has gotten a lot of attention.But I wish people would stop wasting energy.

I often hear this from nature activists and groups like that. Yes, mining coins (and by that, making transactions possible) does take a lot of energy. Yes, it was better if this didn't took as much energy as it does now, but you know this "difficulty" makes the coin gain value.

Now, the current system of banks. I think they use even more energy for ordinary transactions of money..

but coin is heavier than paper money, and feel free to convince me money transaction costs more energy than mining coins.

Sure. Let's factor in everyone that is employed by the banking system - the energy cost of paying them and putting them in an office and making them productive workers and their car rides to and from work and their A/C and computers and all the rest - just as a start....
member
Activity: 98
Merit: 10
September 19, 2014, 11:59:02 PM
#55
Bitcoin has gotten a lot of attention.But I wish people would stop wasting energy.

I often hear this from nature activists and groups like that. Yes, mining coins (and by that, making transactions possible) does take a lot of energy. Yes, it was better if this didn't took as much energy as it does now, but you know this "difficulty" makes the coin gain value.

Now, the current system of banks. I think they use even more energy for ordinary transactions of money..

but coin is heavier than paper money, and feel free to convince me money transaction costs more energy than mining coins.
legendary
Activity: 1736
Merit: 1001
September 18, 2014, 08:20:26 AM
#54
Have yo guys checked out solarcoin?  They have a new thread up on here and are about to switch to pos.
member
Activity: 98
Merit: 10
September 15, 2014, 05:52:44 AM
#53
I always wanted to use green energy simply to be independent. I don't mind paying for electricity but i want to have some backup in case a lightning strikes or something. I remember few years ago a substation transformer blew and we had no power for almost a day.

Just 1 day is not too bad, 3 days is worse!!
legendary
Activity: 1049
Merit: 1001
September 15, 2014, 04:41:50 AM
#52
Hi.  I need some experienced mining folks to give me some feedback.  I work for one of the largest residential solar installers in Arizona and we are also in California.  Our cash payment customers are getting their electricity between $0.04 and $0.06/kWh.  There's been a trend in solar to "oversize" systems by 20-30%.  By this i mean, if a customer is using 10,000 kWh/yr they may purchase a system that's generating between 12,000 and 13,000 kWh/yr.  Personally, I don't like to oversize systems because the "extra" electricity is sold back to the utility company at the end of the year at "wholesale" rates (read: less than what they are paying for the electricity).  It occurred to me that bitcoin mining may be a great way to go for some of these homeowners.  For example:  Over the course of a year the PV system overproduces 2,000 kWh of electricity.  As opposed to selling that electricity back to the utility company at say $0.04/kWh it may be better to drop off a "bit coin rig" at the customers house that's capable of using up the extra 2,000 kWh in the course of say a week.

Questions:
Is it feasible to install a rig of that size at someones home?
How many coins would it likely mint?
From your experience mining bitcoins would profit sharing with the home owner be preferable to say $0.07/ kWh?
Considering hardware costs, is this even a worthwhile endeavor?

I am here in Arizona also and heat would be an issue in the summer, so make sure to add the extra AC cooling needed to run the miner.

You could get away with a swamp cooler when its not the rainy season, but I am sure your customers would hate the heat they put out.
sr. member
Activity: 462
Merit: 251
June 02, 2014, 06:04:56 AM
#51
I always wanted to use green energy simply to be independent. I don't mind paying for electricity but i want to have some backup in case a lightning strikes or something. I remember few years ago a substation transformer blew and we had no power for almost a day.
legendary
Activity: 1050
Merit: 1007
Live like there is no tomorrow!
June 02, 2014, 04:56:17 AM
#50
Bitcoin has gotten a lot of attention.But I wish people would stop wasting energy.

I often hear this from nature activists and groups like that. Yes, mining coins (and by that, making transactions possible) does take a lot of energy. Yes, it was better if this didn't took as much energy as it does now, but you know this "difficulty" makes the coin gain value.

Now, the current system of banks. I think they use even more energy for ordinary transactions of money..
legendary
Activity: 1638
Merit: 1001
June 01, 2014, 08:22:20 PM
#49
How much would it cost to power the average PC 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using Solar ?

200W load
8760 hours
1752 kWh needed annually

New Jersey  1400kWh annually per fixed tilt kW of PV:  need 1.25kWpdc of PV / 0.8 DC:AC ratio (performance ratio) = 1.56kWpdc of PV
California 1600kWh annualy per fixed tilt kW of PV: need 1.37kWpdc of PV
Arizona 1800kWh annually per fixed tilt kW of PV:  need 1.215kWpdc of PV

Single Axis Tracking:  125% annual kWh compared to FT (fixed tilt) = 80% PV needed.  Not available for roof-mounted systems.
Dual Axis tracking:  140% annual kWh compared to FT = 70% PV needed.  Not available for roof-mounted systems


Capital Costs:  dependent on rebates offered by state, utility, etc.

For back of envelope, use $3000/kW installed for fixed tilt systems.  Add 25% for SAT, 40% for DAT (vendors can do the math, too.)

Leasing options:  too complicated (I don't know).

NOTE:  This assumes a grid-tied PV system.  For an off-grid system, more equipment, more complications, more cost, less reliability.




newbie
Activity: 52
Merit: 0
June 01, 2014, 10:09:07 AM
#48
How much would it cost to power the average PC 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using Solar ?
newbie
Activity: 42
Merit: 0
June 01, 2014, 09:27:31 AM
#47
Bitcoin has gotten a lot of attention.But I wish people would stop wasting energy.
full member
Activity: 210
Merit: 100
May 23, 2014, 10:02:55 AM
#46
Quote
solar has had a more harmful impact on humanity overall [than nuclear].

To quote something I read somewhere:

Quote
feel free to convince me ... with some real numbers.
speechless

Then you should be ready for this. https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/solar-freakn-panel-roadways-awesome-indiegogo-project-lets-support-it-619852
lol... just when i thought it couldnt get any better
sr. member
Activity: 392
Merit: 250
May 23, 2014, 09:49:38 AM
#45
Quote
solar has had a more harmful impact on humanity overall [than nuclear].

To quote something I read somewhere:

Quote
feel free to convince me ... with some real numbers.
speechless

Then you should be ready for this. https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/solar-freakn-panel-roadways-awesome-indiegogo-project-lets-support-it-619852
full member
Activity: 210
Merit: 100
May 23, 2014, 09:45:23 AM
#44
Quote
solar has had a more harmful impact on humanity overall [than nuclear].

To quote something I read somewhere:

Quote
feel free to convince me ... with some real numbers.
speechless
legendary
Activity: 1008
Merit: 1001
Let the chips fall where they may.
May 22, 2014, 11:13:12 PM
#43
Small-scale generators tent to be less efficient than large central plants.

However, large scale plants have to send the power longer distances.
legendary
Activity: 1638
Merit: 1001
May 22, 2014, 11:05:33 PM
#42
Quote
solar has had a more harmful impact on humanity overall [than nuclear].

To quote something I read somewhere:

Quote
feel free to convince me ... with some real numbers.

Why is solar more harmful then nuclear? They release less green house gas and no nuclear waste...

Read message #23 in this thread, which sites a reference saying the following (in summary):

"On the basis of lifetime kWh out vs fossil fuel unit used to construct, nuclear plants put out more kWh than solar plants".

This may be true, but it ignores accidents, waste management, military deaths to protect, etc.
sr. member
Activity: 392
Merit: 250
May 22, 2014, 08:32:01 PM
#41
Quote
solar has had a more harmful impact on humanity overall [than nuclear].

To quote something I read somewhere:

Quote
feel free to convince me ... with some real numbers.

Why is solar more harmful then nuclear? They release less green house gas and no nuclear waste...
full member
Activity: 156
Merit: 100
May 20, 2014, 06:06:25 PM
#40
 Grin
full member
Activity: 224
Merit: 100
To dare is the price of progress
May 12, 2014, 05:48:39 PM
#39
which is the best graphic to mining bitcoin
legendary
Activity: 1638
Merit: 1001
May 11, 2014, 02:45:07 PM
#38
Quote
You get one SLR for every MWh of solar electricity generated.

A typical 4kWpdc roof-mounted grid-tied system at 30-degree latitude will produce 6.5MWh annually, for an expected 98MWh over 15 years.  (The system will last longer, but 15 years is for comparison to the typical lease period).

The purchase price for such a system is USD 14,000 +/- 10%.  I'm guessing a 15-yr lease for such a system is USD 6000 up front, plus USD 50 monthly for 180 months.

So about USD 150 per SLR for the leased system, USD 110 for the purchased system, which can be expected to last at least 20 years.

Present worth, future worth, inflation, interest, all left out of this simplified analysis.  (Bitcoin isn't the only thing I'm too dumb for.)

PS  6500 annual kWh is enough to run a 750 GH/s rig 24/7.



sr. member
Activity: 406
Merit: 250
May 11, 2014, 12:32:18 PM
#37
Solar is a great idea for Bitcoin mining (or any altcoin mining for that matter). But don't forget the additional incentive that is also available now, submit the claim for SolarCoins. You get one SLR for every MWh of solar electricity generated. This goes to the resident for systems under 20 kW (not the owner of the panels if the system is leased).

Claim them here: solarcoin.org/redeem Initial claims go back to 2010 if you've already got a system installed.

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