El Salvador started mining Bitcoin using power from a volcano

El Salvador has officially started mining Bitcoin using power generated from a volcano. President Nayib Bukele tweeted an image of the mining progress, and the “volcanode” has already made 0.00599179 bitcoin (about $269). He also shared a video showing the volcano-powered mining operation in action, with an industrial plant built in the middle of a forested area and the Santa Ana volcano in the background.

In June, President Bukele promised a “plan to offer facilities for Bitcoin mining relying on very cheap, 100% clean, 100% renewable, 0 emissions energy from our volcanos,” and it seems that he is making good on his promise even though the country’s earnings are limited so far. This is not the first time geothermal energy has been used for bitcoin mining before, with countries like Iceland championing its use since the very beginning of bitcoin mining.