El Salvador announced it was testing bitcoin mining with energy from volcanoes

Mining bitcoins It is the process by which new cryptocurrencies are created using computers that solve complex mathematical problems and require a large amount of electrical energy to operate.

September 7 The Savior became the first country to use the Bitcoin as legal tender in an effort to reclaim its stagnant economy, dollarized two decades ago, which has drawn strong criticism from various sectors both at home and abroad.

Bukele did not provide more details on how the mining process will be conducted, although he shared a short video on his Twitter preceded by the phrase “first steps” on Tuesday.

It shows a geothermal power plant in the east of the country, in which enters a truck with a large container inside which a man works, connecting cables to computer equipment that would be used for the operation. mining bitcoins.

Months before cryptocurrency began to become legal tender, the president expressed his willingness to allow bitcoin mining in his country using geothermal energy from its volcanoes.

Government expects controversial use of bitcoin Help collect the more than $ 400 million in commissions from remittances sent by Salvadorans abroad.

The total of these shipments represents 22% of the country’s GDP. Some 3 million Salvadorans live outside their territory, including 2.5 million in the United States.

Although it is the smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has 170 volcanoes: 14 active and six under permanent surveillance for risk of eruption.