Australia to get solar-powered data centre for early 2019

A solar-powered bitcoin mining farm is moving closer to reality in Australia. Data centre DC Two and subsidiary D Coin, a crypto-mining hosting operator, is developing the project for Oz’s first ‘behind-the-grid’ scheme in Collie, around 130 miles south of Perth. 

DC Two says the new enterprise enables it “to provide globally competitive power to our customers, whilst adding much needed local demand for base load power for the existing coal mines and power generators in the region”. 

Low cost, competitive tariffs

It also claims it will offer customisable, low cost and high density data. The solar farm itself will be assembled by Hadouken Pty, owned by entrepreneur Ben Tan, owner of Nasdaq-listed Vivopower Int. Planning permission has already been agreed. 

Solar panels are in widespread use across most Australian towns

Customised low cost hosting options specifically engineered for crypto currency and bitcoin mining at competitive rates has attracted both local and international crypto mining community interest, claims DC Two and D Coin. 

Four megawatt output

ITBrief reported that DC Two is still finalising funding and capital raising for the project. It’s hoped the data centre will go ‘live’, tapping into a power supply as much as four megawatts, in early 2019. 

Collie, population 7,000, is 200 kms from Perth

Solar-powered data centres are not new: Google has a four-hectare site operation in Belgium while Apple also claims strong solar-powered credentials (Apple is planning a new data centre in Iowa). However a solar-powered mining farm targeted at the crypto community is a relatively new departure.