Hey everyone, I'm thinking of starting a Bitcoin mining data center in a third world country (Georgia). I have access to cheap facility that needs some slight renovation, with possibility of renting small area and expanding in the future. Rent is really cheap (~$3-4 per m2 per month). There is access to about 900kw, with an approximate cost of electricity of 5-8cents per kw/h. Local import laws seem to be rather lenient towards mining rigs, so it's pretty straightforward to import equipment here. All profit calculations seem to be showing an roi of 4-10 months depending on the cost of equipment (antminer s9 is what I plan on using if I can get my hands on them at reasonable price). Facility would require certain investment in cooling equipment and overall renovation (rats are somewhat frequent visitors). But overall it seems like an area worth investing. Obviously the profits will shrink as time goes by and new equipment gets released, so I am mindful of the risks and the money invested are not gonna be drawn from my pension fund. The plan is to start off with about 10 rigs and expand as time goes by. I haven't yet decided whether I want to keep profits in btc or cash them all out, or maintain a certain ratio, but I am leaning towards holding btc long term.
So my questions is, am I overlooking some obvious and crucial risks in this operation?
Personnel wise, I am in process of hiring 1-2 people for this operation, part time. Labor cost is not high in Georgia so should the operation expand, this cost would be negligible. Personally I don't think I will be moving there full time, but certainly will be there during the setup process. Any piece of advice for or against this project would be highly appreciated, especially from people that have experience in establishing similar facilities.
Opening a mining facility in my opinion would only be profitable in a country that has low electricity costs and cheap labor. I believe the country you mentioned (Georgia) has some potential. But are there crooked cops or extortionists that will want a piece of the pie?