2025-02-21 –, Event Room
MOD: Tyler Stevens
The Heatpunk’s Manifesto panel explores the role of bitcoin mining in decentralization and mass adoption through heat reuse. As mining pools consolidate, bringing hashrate back to homes and businesses strengthens both physical and digital resilience. But how do we balance sovereignty with usability? Can mining-as-heating be a Trojan horse for mass adoption while sidestepping regulatory scrutiny? This discussion unpacks the future of home mining, network security, and bitcoin’s evolution as both digital and thermal energy.
Troy Cross is a philosopher, Bitcoin researcher, and advisor specializing in energy and mining sustainability. He is a Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute and actively contributes to discussions on Bitcoin’s role in energy markets. As an advisor to Anadro, Troy supports their innovative approach to integrating Bitcoin mining with solar energy infrastructure in California, helping to balance grid demand and improve renewable energy economics. His work focuses on the intersection of Bitcoin, energy, and policy, advocating for mining solutions that enhance decentralization and sustainability.
Former rocket scientist turned bitcoiner - Tyler has a background in thermal engineering and heat transfer. He is the author of the Bitcoin Mining Heat Reuse book, and founder of Exergy LLC, an engineering consulting firm that designs hashrate powered heating systems. Tyler is also a co-founder and board member of The Space - Denver's bitcoin citadel.
Matt Hill is the Founder and CEO of Start9 Labs, a company pioneering sovereign computing by enabling individuals to easily self-host their own infrastructure. With a background in distributed systems and privacy-first technology, Matt is dedicated to building tools that empower users with full control over their digital lives, free from centralized intermediaries. Under his leadership, Start9 has developed StartOS, an intuitive, open-source operating system for running personal servers, helping Bitcoiners and privacy advocates reclaim their data, communications, and financial sovereignty.
Bitcoin Mechanic is a sovereign Bitcoin educator, miner, and advocate, deeply involved in self-custody, home mining, and decentralized finance. As a key contributor to Ocean, focused on miner sovereignty, he works to empower miners with greater control over their hashrate and transaction selection. Passionate about sovereignty and censorship resistance, he actively educates individuals on running their own nodes, securing their Bitcoin, and optimizing mining operations without reliance on third parties. Through his work, he continues to push for a more decentralized and resilient Bitcoin network.