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North Kosovo is a very tricky political situation where the govt. does not have effective control of the region, for political reasons you can’t force the popul

by ermir 5y ago

North Kosovo is a very tricky political situation where the govt. does not have effective control of the region, for political reasons you can’t force the population to pay but you can’t also cut them off either, since Serbia will step in and undermine Kosovo’s sovereignty. The electric situation has allowed domestic and foreign opportunists to set up extensive mining operations with free electricity, this has cost the Kosovo govt. tens of millions in bills they have to cover. My grandpa’s village is a popular spot, every house is renting out their garages at crazy high prices, I’ve seen videos of rigs worth hundreds of thousands sitting in the barn in shelves next to the cows who use the heat.

goldenkey 5y ago
In the same vein, Palestine has a huge unpaid electricity bill from Israel too. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/11/5/as-israel-threatens-power-cuts-how-can-palestine-pay-its-bills https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/11/5/as-israel-threat...
petre 5y ago
What about limiting the electricity, causing brownouts when the limits are abused?
- zksmk 5y ago
  The people in charge quite possibly have crypto farms themselves, so... don't expect a solution until there are literal electricity blackouts due to shortages or the electorate gets really angry. But if it were to be implemented, it would work. It wouldn't make the electorate happy either short-term, it would be like flushing out an infection with a fever. Plus, with the delicate nature of the political situation, I wouldn't recommend Kosovo's institutions imposing brownouts on Northern Kosovo, or at least not just on Northern Kosovo.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
shagie 5y ago
> My grandpa’s village is a popular spot, every house is renting out their garages at crazy high prices, I’ve seen videos of rigs worth hundreds of thousands sitting in the barn in shelves next to the cows who use the heat. I'd like to question the "cows who use the heat". Its the other way around. https://www.vpr.org/vpr-news/2018-01-04/in-deep-freeze-how-one-farmer-keeps-cows-warm-and-the-milk-flowing https://www.vpr.org/vpr-news/2018-01-04/in-deep-freeze-how-o... > "I read somewhere that each cow generates 2,350 BTUs. We have 255 of them in here keeping this barn warm," Sweet said. "It's hard to believe a barn this size there's no heat in this beside the cows." Sure enough, some sources say cows give off 4,500 BTUs per hour. The barn does have insulation in the ceiling and end walls, and the side curtains have an R-value of 2. They leave the equipment they use daily in the barn so it doesn't freeze up. Another estimate of cow to btu: https://www.farmshow.com/view_articles.php?a_id=908 https://www.farmshow.com/view_articles.php?a_id=908 > "One cow gives off 4,400 btu's per hour. Our Dairy-Aire system recovers 2,500 btu's. A 60-cow herd will easily heat and cool the average 1,500 to 2,000 sq. ft. home," Lussenden told FARM SHOW, noting that the system can also be installed in high capacity hog, poultry and other confinement buildings. https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/cow-thermal-energy-to-heat-homes-zmaz82ndzgoe/ https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/c... > It wasn’t long before the inventive engineer realized that, since a single cow gives off 3,500-4,000 BTU an hour, a mere 15 milkers could provide sufficient excess warmth to heat a standard 2,000-square-foot home. --- The cows don't need mining rigs.
nradov 5y ago
Also a power company technician who comes out to disconnect a particular customer is likely to get shot.

by ermir 5y ago

goldenkey 5y ago

In the same vein, Palestine has a huge unpaid electricity bill from Israel too. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/11/5/as-israel-threatens-power-cuts-how-can-palestine-pay-its-bills https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/11/5/as-israel-threat...

petre 5y ago

What about limiting the electricity, causing brownouts when the limits are abused?

zksmk 5y ago
The people in charge quite possibly have crypto farms themselves, so... don't expect a solution until there are literal electricity blackouts due to shortages or the electorate gets really angry. But if it were to be implemented, it would work. It wouldn't make the electorate happy either short-term, it would be like flushing out an infection with a fever. Plus, with the delicate nature of the political situation, I wouldn't recommend Kosovo's institutions imposing brownouts on Northern Kosovo, or at least not just on Northern Kosovo.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

shagie 5y ago

> My grandpa’s village is a popular spot, every house is renting out their garages at crazy high prices, I’ve seen videos of rigs worth hundreds of thousands sitting in the barn in shelves next to the cows who use the heat. I'd like to question the "cows who use the heat". Its the other way around. https://www.vpr.org/vpr-news/2018-01-04/in-deep-freeze-how-one-farmer-keeps-cows-warm-and-the-milk-flowing https://www.vpr.org/vpr-news/2018-01-04/in-deep-freeze-how-o... > "I read somewhere that each cow generates 2,350 BTUs. We have 255 of them in here keeping this barn warm," Sweet said. "It's hard to believe a barn this size there's no heat in this beside the cows." Sure enough, some sources say cows give off 4,500 BTUs per hour. The barn does have insulation in the ceiling and end walls, and the side curtains have an R-value of 2. They leave the equipment they use daily in the barn so it doesn't freeze up. Another estimate of cow to btu: https://www.farmshow.com/view_articles.php?a_id=908 https://www.farmshow.com/view_articles.php?a_id=908 > "One cow gives off 4,400 btu's per hour. Our Dairy-Aire system recovers 2,500 btu's. A 60-cow herd will easily heat and cool the average 1,500 to 2,000 sq. ft. home," Lussenden told FARM SHOW, noting that the system can also be installed in high capacity hog, poultry and other confinement buildings. https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/cow-thermal-energy-to-heat-homes-zmaz82ndzgoe/ https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/c... > It wasn’t long before the inventive engineer realized that, since a single cow gives off 3,500-4,000 BTU an hour, a mere 15 milkers could provide sufficient excess warmth to heat a standard 2,000-square-foot home. --- The cows don't need mining rigs.

nradov 5y ago

Also a power company technician who comes out to disconnect a particular customer is likely to get shot.