In a live episode discussing Black individuals in the cryptocurrency space, the hosts introduce John Karanja, a pivotal figure in the community. John, is an admin of “Black People in Cryptocurrency” Facebook group and a contributor for the Whive protocol, the first African-led blockchain decentralized proof-of-work blockchain. The conversation initially dives into the controversial statement made by a prominent electric car and rocket manufacturer Elon Musk, asserting that Bitcoin is not environmentally friendly due to its energy consumption
John, provides an in-depth response, highlighting that Bitcoin’s energy consumption is comparable to Denmark’s entire electricity use. He emphasizes that this is significantly less than what banks and data centers globally consume. He also sheds light on the increasing adoption of renewable energy in Bitcoin mining, noting that 75% of Bitcoin uses renewable energy. This is especially true in China, where miners utilize underutilized hydroelectric dams. For Africa, he sees potential in tapping into significant hydroelectric resources, like the Grand Inga Dam in Congo, to develop a similar renewable energy-driven mining system. Beyond this, he touches on his involvement with Bithub Africa, an accelerator for Bitcoin and blockchain, and Melanin Solar, which aims to provide renewable energy solutions in tropical regions.
John’s journey into the Bitcoin space began in December 2013. He co-founded an e-commerce start-up before delving into cryptocurrency, driven by the potential he saw in integrating with M-Pesa, a pioneering mobile-based money transfer service in Kenya.
