Your Heater Can Mine Bitcoin: The Revolutionary Tech Turning Waste Heat Into Digital Gold
Digital Gold Podcast: The Cheapest Power in the World and only Getting Cheaper with Hestia’s Heating Products with Curtis Doran
The latest Digital Gold Podcast features Curtis Doran, a Labrador native and CEO of Block Lab, who reveals how Bitcoin mining leverages the region’s 1.6¢/kWh hydro power to transform local economies. He details his journey from operating iron mines to pioneering Hestia’s noise reduced Bitcoin heaters, which repurpose mining heat for homes and businesses even at 40°C below zero. We also explore Bitcoin’s role as a ‘pioneer species’ enabling EV charging, internet expansion, and jobs in remote communities amid regulatory battles over energy exports. Full podcast episode here.
Key highlights from the discussion with Curtis Doran:
Labrador's Energy Paradox: World's Cheapest Power, yet a Government Ban on Bitcoin Miners Despite having industrial power as cheap as 1.6 cents Canadian per kilowatt-hour and exporting 5,000 megawatts to Quebec for 0.02 cents until 2041, Labrador's government banned cryptocurrency miners from its abundant hydro power.
The Shocking Truth About Grid Management: Why Labrador Hydro Dumps Water (and Revenue) Instead of Embracing Bitcoin Labrador Hydro's sole load control method for Churchill Falls is dumping water over the dam, losing revenue, even though increased data center usage decreased industrial power rates by 1.3 cents and Bitcoin miners can shed load in milliseconds
Hestia's Revolution: Bitcoin Furnaces That Provide Free Heat and Eliminate Energy Waste Hestia's CSA-certified Bitcoin furnaces capture nearly 100% of energy as usable heat, acting as standard air handling units, and have been heating a non-profit ski lodge for free since 2019.
Beyond the Hype: How Bitcoin Mining Is Building a New Economy and Providing Crucial Services in Rural Canada Block Lab and its companies employ 32 people in Labrador, providing stable jobs not tied to iron ore, and have used Bitcoin revenue to fund internet service for underprivileged indigenous reserves
Bitcoin: The "Pioneer Species" Solving Unsolvable Problems. From Frozen EV Chargers to Cold Communities Bitcoin mining, acting as a "pioneer species," can solve problems like keeping EV chargers operational in minus 40 Celsius by using its waste heat, addressing the issue where 55% of Canadian EV charging networks were often down.
Ready to dive deeper?
Listen to the full episode to hear Curtis’ insights and analysis. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand the complexities of the Bitcoin mining industry.
Happy Mining!
JohnPaul Baric
CEO of Mining Store
P.S. Have questions or want to discuss the episode further? Just reply to this email, and I'll get back to you!