How to encourage miner-decentralization?

[AlgoSwan]

The difficulty-adjustment process works to constantly eliminate the least-profitable miners, making the group more and more homogenous over time. However, geographically dispersed sources of minimal-cost power (provided by solar in remote areas) will restore some geographic decentralization.

For a cheap solar energy solution, how about this: Take a bunch of desert. Cover it in a layer of insulator, then (on top) metal, black paint, water, and glass. When the Sun comes up, it will heat the paint very quickly (~20 – 100 C / hr.), causing the water to become high-pressure steam. With double-paned glass and good insulation, the heat will be trapped well enough for steam to reach many hundred degrees C. That steam can then run an old-fashioned steam turbine.

At 250 C, maximum (Carnot) efficiency would be about 40%. In practice, steam turbines aren’t very good, so you might only get 10%. But even at 10%, time-averaged power output would be ~25 W/m^2, or $100/m^2 at current $4/W prices. And there’s no way bulk insulation and low-quality glass panels cost $100/m^2

Will cheap solar energy solutions actively increase mining decentralization?

[pawel7777]

...
For a cheap solar energy solution, how about this: Take a bunch of desert. Cover it in a layer of insulator, then (on top) metal, black paint, water, and glass. When the Sun comes up, it will heat the paint very quickly (~20 – 100 C / hr.), causing the water to become high-pressure steam. With double-paned glass and good insulation, the heat will be trapped well enough for steam to reach many hundred degrees C. That steam can then run an old-fashioned steam turbine.
...

But the temperature during the night can fall very low afaik. Meaning large amount of water (thick layer) would never heat up properly during the day, making the entire project inefficient.

How about switching to PoS or PoS hybrid instead?

[AlgoSwan]

Switching to PoS or PoS hybrid could be an alternative.

Also there is another problem: Water at several hundred degrees is at a pressure of tens or even a hundred atmospheres. You cannot hold that back with a flat barrier, especially not low quality glass paneling. Maybe liquid salt or something, but then it’s not so simple.

To contain your hot liquid, you must use round pipes, in which case you need solar concentrators (mirrors), which then require re-aiming every few days to follow the sun. This is in fact done, but not so easy as to dominate other forms.

[LoyceV]

So many things are wrong with your idea. To start: water in the desert.
But also the efficiency, what you mean is concentrated solar power (Google it!). It takes a bit more than some glass and black paint, higher temperatures, and it's not that cheap at all.
Producing power doesn't have much to do with mining, if you can produce cheap power you have other means to earn money than mining.

[mki8]

your idea is a few years too late
and if it would work someone would already be doing it
like the miners that have already earned millions from mining
and are constantly looking for new ways to get an edge over other miners
oh and did i mention they also have millions to spend when looking for new mining setups


lol, heat up water in the desert
there is no water there,
hence desert

how about you take your idea to the sahara,
get everything going, but instead of mining you just sell electric
or use that electric to make water via condensation and sell the water
now you have water and electric for sale in the middle of the desert
it would only take a couple of years and you could rule half of Africa
only take some glass and black paint etc.
so wont cost you much

[bitcoineverything]

your idea is a few years too late
and if it would work someone would already be doing it
like the miners that have already earned millions from mining
and are constantly looking for new ways to get an edge over other miners
oh and did i mention they also have millions to spend when looking for new mining setups


lol, heat up water in the desert
there is no water there,
hence desert

how about you take your idea to the sahara,
get everything going, but instead of mining you just sell electric
or use that electric to make water via condensation and sell the water
now you have water and electric for sale in the middle of the desert
it would only take a couple of years and you could rule half of Africa
only take some glass and black paint etc.
so wont cost you much

I totally agree with you. If this has been proven true, miners around the world would have live in the desert bringing glasses and black paint and water.

[Kakmakr]

The power produced from the process you described would offset against the extra cost it would require for more cooling. The higher temperature requires more cooling and cancels out the production of cheaper electricity. Most of these Chinese miners are located in cooler regions and combined with cheaper electricity, they will still have the edge over any other operation.