MINI is designed to make solar-powered mining the norm, not the exception. From tiny ESP32 boards to old Android phones, low-power mining opens the door to running miners on sunshine.
Most people picture cryptocurrency mining as a room full of noisy, power-hungry computers. Mini Miners takes a different approach. An ESP32 is a tiny computer, and its modest power needs open the door to solar-powered projects that would make little sense with traditional mining hardware.
Our goal is to make solar-powered MINI miners an everyday option, not a rare experiment. A small panel and optional energy storage can make off-grid mining possible where sunlight and connectivity are available.
Imagine a miner in a sunny workshop window, a backyard weatherproof enclosure, or a remote electronics project. Solar mining is a chance to learn about both cryptocurrency and renewable power, one tiny computer at a time.
Solar is completely optional. An ordinary USB-powered ESP32 works just fine for MINI, too.
Our reference ESP32 mining setup has been estimated at roughly 0.6 watts while operating. Actual consumption depends on the board, display, Wi-Fi connection, firmware, and power supply.
At a steady 0.6 W, a miner uses about 14.4 Wh over 24 hours. That's the energy the miner itself needs, before losses in charging, voltage conversion, and battery storage.
Running continuously at 0.6 W works out to approximately 5.26 kWh per year. A display-equipped board or an inefficient power supply may use more.
These figures illustrate power consumption; they are not a tested solar-kit specification or a promise of uninterrupted operation.
A dependable off-grid setup is more than a panel connected to an ESP32. Each part has a job:
Collects energy during daylight. Its useful output changes with clouds, shade, season, panel angle, and location.
Stores energy for nighttime and cloudy periods. Capacity must account for the miner's actual consumption and the usable portion of the battery.
A solar-compatible charge controller, suitable battery protection, and stable regulated output help protect the battery and the miner. The components must be matched to the battery chemistry and panel.
The miner still needs a working network connection to receive jobs and submit shares. Solar power alone doesn't provide internet access.
If a miner draws 0.6 W, then 12 hours without sunlight requires approximately 7.2 Wh delivered to the miner. The battery needs additional usable energy to cover conversion losses, aging, temperature effects, and unexpected cloudy weather.
That's why we want to measure real hardware rather than promise that one particular panel or battery will run forever. Winter daylight can be very different from summer daylight.
And there's no penalty for choosing simplicity: if your solar setup runs only during the day, your miner can still participate while it is powered and connected. It simply won't earn mining rewards while offline.
Get your miner working from an ordinary USB power supply first. Learn how to connect to the pool and watch your shares arrive. Once you understand the miner, you can experiment with a properly designed off-grid power system.
We want to compare boards, displays, charging losses, battery runtime, and real-world sunlight. The goal is to publish tested combinations and honest results, including what didn't work.
We already have an older Android phone running MINI mining software in the background. Our USB power meter shows approximately 0.3 watts (display off, phone at rest, battery fully charged, and plugged into USB power).
A small 5-volt USB solar panel could potentially power this miner during the day when sunlight is sufficient. Add a compatible USB power bank that can supply power while charging, and mining could continue into the night. We plan to test and demonstrate real-world setups rather than promise a particular runtime.
We plan to show real-world solar-powered ESP32 miners using much the same idea: a small USB solar panel, an optional USB power bank, and a low-power mining device. We'll share our actual power readings, photos, and results as we test them.
Our longer-term vision goes beyond miners. As MINI grows into an independent network, we also want to explore operating network nodes on solar power wherever practical. Nodes may need more energy and connectivity than tiny miners, so that will be a separate challenge to investigate.
Our aim isn't to claim that solar mining will make anyone rich. It's to show what becomes possible when mining uses very little electricity: hands-on learning, clever low-power builds, and miners that can operate beyond the nearest electrical outlet.
As tested solar builds become available, we'll share the components, measurements, and lessons here. Until then, you can explore the network or build a regular USB-powered miner.