Every time this idea has been mentioned in the last couple years, it comes down to that USB-C spec doesn't allow for both Power Delivery and data transfer at the same time. I didn't follow up on any of your links but unless that changes, it's a no-go.
Fair enough, that's for the maximum power delivery of 240W.
But USB4 hubs can deliver data and power up to 3A(15W) per device.
This is from the USB Type-C® Cable and Connector Specification Release 2.1 from May 2021: [1]
And here is an actual example of this, a USB4 hub that provides 3 ports at 3A each: [2]
Powerful Ports—3x USB4 / Thunderbolt 4 ports for speeds up to 40Gbps, and 15W charging for phones and tablets. 1x USB-A up to 10Gbps, 1x upstream Thunderbolt 4 port up to 60W charging to host
Given that it's getting harder to get those older USB2-3 hubs at 3A, and that they are not even standard, I think it would make sense to design the next USB miners with USB-C in mind, as the 3A per port is standard now there, and USB4 hubs are broadly available now.
[1]:
https://www.usb.org/document-library/usb-type-cr-cable-and-connector-specification-release-21[2]:
https://plugable.com/products/usb4-hub3a