Is Mining with Solar Viable in Nigeria?

Saw some chat about why mining isn't popular in Nigeria, mainly due to the electricity issue. Guess the only way to go, if you really want to mine, is solar. But is it feasible? What do you guys think?

Short answer: Doubt it. Long answer? It’s complicated. After investing in miners and solar panels plus backup for night-time, you'll barely break even. And then there's internet costs and local taxes that can mess up your profit.

So for two Antminers S19 Pro, you’d need serious solar. Like, maybe 20 panels of around 450W each and a big inverter. That could run your miners during the day and charge a decent battery for nighttime.

Yeah but powerful gear is a must, especially batteries. If they're not charged properly, forget about mining at night. Plus, if it's rainy or cloudy, good luck keeping those batteries full.

Gotta consider location too. In Port-Harcourt, your annual solar output is around 1250 kWh, but in Katsina, it shoots up to 1750 kWh. So your location really matters when estimating costs.

Nigeria’s electronics are pricey in general. You might save a bit on panels but batteries will hit your wallet hard. Even in the sunniest places, you get what, 6-7 hours of good sun daily? That’s not much.

Building a full solar setup can be super costly, like 10-20 times the price of what you'd spend on basic mining gear. That’s why most miners stick to grid power unless solar is super cheap.

It really comes down to calculations. You can make it work but it'll take time. You need to calculate everything from power needs to the battery size and the current price of Bitcoin. Don’t expect profits quickly.

If your gear holds up, you might see profits. But if there’s no proper service for your ASICs or solar panels, maybe just stick to regular electricity and buy Bitcoin when it’s low.

Sure, mining with solar sounds good on paper. But the reality is, you’ll need tons of energy, and solar might not keep up, especially if you’re in a shady location.

Nah, that’s oversimplifying it. Places like Canada can have more solar potential than Germany or India. It's all about where you're located. Just slapping on a panel isn’t enough.

Setting up solar mining isn’t a huge task, but it costs a lot and you can’t count on sunny weather every day. You might be down to mining only half the time.

Honestly, if you don’t have cheap electricity, just forget about mining. Buy Bitcoin instead. The hassle of keeping everything maintained isn't worth it.

Yup, if you’re paying more than 5 cents per kWh, it’s probably not worth it.

True, especially with the rainy seasons! Batteries are hecka expensive and don’t last long. You can’t depend solely on solar to keep mining.

You could try other hobbies that could lose you even more time and money! OP was asking if it’s profitable, and the answer is likely no.

Possible, sure. Profitable? Probably not. Adding solar just drags out your return on investment. Without batteries, you're stuck at night.

Batteries nowadays can last much longer than just 5 years if you get the right ones. Li-Ion or LFP options can work well with a good battery management system.

But there are too many variables! Weather changes, sun exposure, seasons... You can't just throw together a solar setup and expect it to work perfectly.

I’m in Nigeria and using solar for my ASIC miner. Got 6 panels at first and now I've expanded. It’s been worth it for me, just be smart with your inverter choice.