El Salvador launches first Bitcoin mining pool as Volcano Energy partners with Luxor

cointelegraph.com:

El Salvador officially launched its first local Bitcoin (BTC) mining pool as the Volcano Energy project begins mining blocks through Lava Pool in partnership with Luxor Technology.

The Bitcoin-friendly country’s $1 billion renewable energy project made headlines earlier in 2023, with stablecoin issuer Tether among companies investing in the project that plans to generate electricity from renewable sources in El Salvador to power future Bitcoin mining operations in the country.

Volcano Energy is tapping into Luxor’s experience in providing Bitcoin mining software and services. The project will also use Luxor’s Hashrate Forward Marketplace to mitigate market volatility through automated risk management strategies used by other major Bitcoin mining operators.

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A statement from Volcano Energy chief strategy officer Gerson Martinez highlighted ongoing efforts by El Salvador to secure first-mover advantage as a Bitcoin-adopting nationstate:

Luxor’s chief operating officer Ethan Vera said the establishment of Volcano Energy and the start of local Bitcoin mining will contribute to Bitcoin’s ethos of geographical decentralization.

The announcement also mentions the potential for countries with abundant renewable energy sources to use Bitcoin mining to improve the economics of new energy projects. Mining operations can provide a “flexible buyer of first and last resort” for energy producers and act as an alternative revenue stream.

As a public-private partnership, Volcano Energy is set to contribute 23% of its net income from mining operations