採礦比特幣並向當地社區提供電力

開採流行的加密貨幣“比特幣”正在為贊比亞的當地社區產生收入並提供電力。

In the heart of Zambia, where the Zambezi River roars through a verdant landscape, an unusual partnership is unfolding. A small hydroelectric plant, struggling to keep up with operating costs, has teamed up with a Kenya-based company, Gridless, to introduce an innovative solution: mining Bitcoin.

在讚比亞的心臟地帶，扎姆比齊河通過翠綠的景觀咆哮著，不尋常的伙伴關係正在發展。一家小型水力發電廠努力努力跟上運營成本，與一家基於肯尼亞的公司Gridless合作，引入了創新的解決方案：採礦比特幣。

The potential of this partnership is vast, not just for the parties involved but also for the local community, which will benefit from a stable supply of electricity despite the departure of the Bitcoin miners.

這種合作夥伴關係的潛力是巨大的，不僅對涉及的各方，而且對於當地社區而言，儘管比特幣礦工離開了，這將受益於穩定的電力供應。

The humming of the Zambezi fills the air as millions of liters of water cascade over rocks and vanish into the ravines. But in the shadow of the Zambian bush, another sound vibrates through the trees – the quiet murmur of Bitcoin mining.

Zambezi的嗡嗡聲充滿了空氣，因為數百萬升水岩石上的水層流並消失在溝渠中。但是在讚比亞灌木叢的陰影下，另一種聲音通過樹木振動 - 比特幣採礦的安靜雜音。

"Now, this is the sound of money!" exclaims Phillip Walton with a smile, as he gazes at a shipping container housing 120 computers. These devices are diligently processing massive amounts of information through intricate calculations, ultimately verifying the generation of Bitcoin.

“現在，這是金錢的聲音！”菲利普·沃爾頓（Phillip Walton）笑著凝視著120台計算機的運輸集裝箱。這些設備通過複雜的計算來認真地處理大量信息，最終驗證了比特幣的產生。

In return for their efforts, the machines are automatically credited with Bitcoin from the network.

作為他們的努力，這些機器會自動從網絡中歸功於比特幣。

We are in the far northwestern part of Zambia, close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of all the Bitcoin mines I've visited, this one is perhaps the strangest. Electronics and water contraptions don't usually go together, yet it's the proximity of the river that entices the Bitcoins here.

我們位於贊比亞的西北部，靠近剛果民主共和國的邊界。在我參觀過的所有比特幣礦中，這也許是最奇怪的。電子和水的置換通常不會融合在一起，但是誘使這裡的比特幣的距離是河流的接近。

Philip's mine is directly connected to a hydroelectric plant that channels a portion of the Zambezi's flow through large turbines, continuously generating clean electricity.

菲利普的礦山直接連接到一家水力發電廠，該水力發電廠通過大型渦輪機通道一部分Zambezi流動，連續產生乾淨的電力。

And what's crucial for Bitcoin mining – it's cheap.

對於比特幣採礦至關重要 - 這很便宜。

So cheap that it made perfect economic sense for Philip's company to transport a container filled with delicate Bitcoin mining computers along narrow, potholed roads, 14 hours from the nearest town, to set up shop.

如此便宜，以至於對菲利普的公司來說，運輸一個裝滿精美的比特幣採礦計算機的容器沿著狹窄的坑洼道路（從最近的城鎮14小時）運輸到建立商店，這是完美的經濟意義。

Each machine generates about $5 per day, or more if the price of coins is high, and less if it decreases.

每台機器每天產生約5美元，如果硬幣的價格很高，則會產生更高的價格，如果降低的話，則會產生更少的價格。

Every so often, Philip checks his smartwatch – the main screen displays the fluctuating line of the dollar value of Bitcoin.

菲利普（Philip）經常檢查他的智能手錶 - 主屏幕顯示比特幣價值的波動線。

Currently, a single Bitcoin coin is worth about $83, but Philip mentions that they can still profit even if the price of Bitcoin falls, thanks to the low energy costs in this country and the partnership with the energy company.

目前，一枚比特幣硬幣的價值約為83美元，但菲利普提到，即使比特幣的價格下跌，由於該國的低能成本以及與能源公司的合作夥伴關係，他們仍然可以利潤。

"We realized that to have better economics in mining Bitcoin we had to cooperate with the energy company here and give them a share of the revenue. The reason we are willing to come all the way here, in such a remote place, is because it allows us to provide cheaper energy," he explains.

他解釋說：“我們意識到，要在採礦比特幣方面擁有更好的經濟學，我們必須與這裡的能源公司合作，並給他們一部分收入。我們願意在如此偏僻的地方一路來到這裡的原因是因為它允許我們提供更便宜的能源。”

The Zengamina hydroelectric plant is large, but technically it's a mini-grid – an autonomous island of energy for the surrounding community.

Zengamina水力發電廠很大，但從技術上講，它是一個微型植物 - 周圍社區的自主能量島。

It was built in the early 2000s thanks to $3 million raised from charitable donations. British-Zambian Daniel Rea manages the plant after his missionary family spearheaded the construction project, primarily to supply power to the local hospital.

由於慈善捐款籌集了300萬美元，它建於2000年代初期。不列顛桑比亞的丹尼爾·雷（Daniel Rea）在他的宣教家族率領建築項目後，主要是為當地醫院供電。

The plant provides electricity to about 15,000 people in the vicinity, but the project couldn't cover its costs due to slow adoption by the community.

該工廠為附近約15,000人提供電力，但由於社區採用緩慢，該項目無法支付其成本。

Permitting Bitcoin mining has helped their operations and brought a visible transformation to the enterprise.

允許比特幣採礦為他們的運營提供了幫助，並為企業帶來了可見的轉變。

"Every day we were losing more than half of the energy we could produce, which meant we weren't making enough to cover our operating costs. We needed a large energy consumer in the area, and that's where the incredible partnership with Gridless came into play," says Daniel.

丹尼爾說：“每天我們都會損失一半以上的能量，這意味著我們不足以支付我們的運營成本。我們需要該地區的大型能源消費者，這就是與Gridless的令人難以置信的合作夥伴關係開始的地方。”

Bitcoin mining now covers about 30% of the hydroelectric plant's revenue, allowing them to keep prices low for the local population.

現在，比特幣開採佔水力發電工廠收入的約30％，使他們能夠使當地人口的價格降低。

The concepts of Bitcoin and its economy are not part of the daily thoughts of the residents of Zengamina.

比特幣及其經濟的概念並不是Zengamina居民日常思想的一部分。

The town, a few kilometers from the hydroelectric plant, is composed of a few dozen small buildings clustered around an intersection with no name.

該鎮距離水力發電廠幾公里，由幾十個小建築物組成，該建築物在一個沒有名字的交叉路口周圍聚集。

Only one store has a refrigerator, and groups of children gather around the shared computer, selecting songs to be played loudly, making the adults frown.

只有一家商店有冰箱，一群孩子聚集在共享計算機周圍，選擇要大聲播放的歌曲，使成年人皺眉。

Although the hydroelectric plant was commissioned in 2007, it took several more years to connect it to the local city and then even more time to connect individual homes and businesses.

儘管水力發電工廠於2007年委託，但將其連接到當地城市花了幾年的時間，然後將更多的時間連接到個人房屋和企業。

So some people, like barber Damian, are still enjoying the novelty of being connected to the electrical grid just a year and a half later.

因此，有些人，例如理髮師達米安（Barber Damian），仍然享受一年半後與電網連接的新穎性。

"Before I had electricity, I had nothing and I couldn't do anything. When I got electricity, I bought everything at once," says Damian.

達米安說：“在電力之前，我什麼都沒有，我什麼也沒做。

And he's not exaggerating. In the evenings, his small barbershop transforms into a bright spot, with a TV playing music videos, festive lights strung everywhere, and the buzz of his clippers. Like butterflies drawn to light, young people swarm into his shop as if it were a youth center.

而且他沒有誇張。在晚上，他的小理髮店變成了一個亮點，電視播放音樂視頻，到處都是節日燈以及他的快船的嗡嗡聲。就像蝴蝶被燈光一樣，年輕人湧入他的商店，就好像是一個青年中心一樣。

"The energy supply has changed my life," he adds with a smile. "The income I

“能源供應改變了我的生活，”他微笑著補充道。 “收入i