Listening to Sébastien Gouspillou share tales from the previous eight years of his worldwide life as a Bitcoin miner, it’s tough to consider he’s telling the reality.
Every of his tales come throughout as works of fiction by which he, usually compelled by little greater than blind religion and a want to make the most of low-cost power for Bitcoin mining, comes out on high after struggling by means of soul-shaking trials and tribulations.
And what’s maybe most mystifying is that he tells many of those tales whereas smiling from ear to ear, beaming with a sure radiance that comes from having an indefatigable spirit (aside from when he tells components of the tales the place others are harm, wronged or killed; at these factors he grows somber).
To shortly present an summary of his journey, since 2017, the 55-year-old citizen of France and co-founder of BigBlock Datacenter, a Bitcoin mining firm, has traversed the planet. From former Soviet states to Africa to The Center East to South America, he’s been in the hunt for stranded energy for this firm’s operations, witnessing each the very best and worst of what humanity has to supply within the course of.
Gouspillou has change into most well-known for serving to to ascertain a Bitcoin mining facilities in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the place a few of the operation’s proceeds have gone again to each the park for its conservation efforts in addition to to bettering the the lives of these in communities that encompass the amenities.
Gouspillou has additionally seen how Bitcoin mining is furthering efforts to affect rural Africa. After what he’s seen on this entrance, he believes that we can’t stay in a world with out Bitcoin mining at this level as a result of “it’s simply too helpful,” as he places it.
However Gouspillou hasn’t all the time been a Bitcoin believer, nor a profitable entrepreneur. Earlier than discovering Bitcoin, his skilled life was extra run-of-the-mill, as he held plenty of salaried positions in a handful of fields that appeared notably much less thrilling than operating Bitcoin mining operations in a few of the most off-the-beaten-path areas of the world.
Gouspillou’s Life Earlier than Bitcoin
Earlier than falling down the proverbial Bitcoin rabbit gap in 2015, Gouspillou had plenty of completely different jobs starting from working for an actual property developer to working for a forestry firm in Asia to importing dry cleansing machines for corporations as huge as Euro Disney.
“I am not a scientist or an engineer,” Gouspillou informed Bitcoin Journal.
“I’m a businessman, and my coaching is in advertising and marketing and gross sales. It was onerous for me to know Bitcoin at first,” he added.
He first heard about Bitcoin in 2010 when his childhood good friend and now co-founder of BigBlock Datacenter, Jean-François Augusti, started mining it.
Gouspillou dismissed his good friend’s efforts again then; he felt Augusti was losing his time mining bitcoin.
5 years later, although, Bitcoin piqued Gouspillou’s curiosity, and he spent most of 2015 researching it. Towards the latter a part of that yr, he approached Augusti with a brand new perspective on Bitcoin and proposed that they begin mining collectively.
Shortly thereafter, the 2 arrange newbie operations in a small industrial house they rented. And by June 2017, they’d moved their operations to a former Alcatel (a former French telecommunications tools firm) manufacturing unit Orvault, a small city exterior of Gouspillou’s dwelling city of Nantes.
The Early Days Of BigBlock Datacenter
At this level, Gouspillou and Augusti had formally included BigBlock Datacenter and started receiving funding from exterior traders.
The power in Orvault was their first operation, whereas the second was in Odessa, Ukraine. What the 2 areas had in widespread was entry to low-cost energy.
In Odessa, Gouspillou and Augusti had a container with 200 S9 ASIC miners that they maintained on their very own.
“The operation was very small in comparison with what now we have now, however, at that second, it was very huge to us as a result of we have been alone to do the work,” recalled Gouspillou.
Other than the technical challenges that got here with studying learn how to function a bitcoin mining farm, Gouspillou and his accomplice bumped into different hurdles, as properly.
“It was very tough to work in Ukraine at the moment, as a result of individuals in Europe and within the banks used to say, ‘Are you loopy? It is a terrorist state — there’s solely mafia on this nation,’” recalled Gouspillou.
Because it turned out, the unhealthy guys within the nation didn’t simply embrace members of the mafia however corrupt authorities officers, as properly.
“We had huge points with the federal government, notably the Secret Service, the SBU,” mentioned Gouspillou.
“They got here at some point to grab our farm, and we bought shut down for 3 months. We negotiated and gave them eight bitcoin. That was the worth to allow us to work,” he added.
“Quickly after we reconnected the ASICs, although, it was too late. The worth of electrical energy had doubled. So, we left to go to Kazakhstan by 2018.”
Gouspillou and Augusti have been two of the primary foreigners to start mining in Kazakhstan. They arrange store on the identical lake as Valery Vavilov, founder and CEO of Bitfury, and his staff and mined there earlier than falling sufferer to a different shakedown.
“We misplaced a number of machines in Kazakhstan,” mentioned Gouspillou.
“The mafia took the machines, after which they sequestered me in a single day after a gathering and requested me to purchase the machines again from them,” he added.
“Between this and the worth of bitcoin crashing in 2018, I misplaced 20 kilograms in a single yr.”
Gouspillou and his accomplice left Kazakhstan quickly after to arrange a small operation in Siberia, Russia (which has change into even smaller lately).
Gouspillou remembers properly the toll that every one of this took not solely on him however on his household, as properly.
“My spouse mentioned, ‘Why do not you modify your work? Why do not you come back to a traditional job? Your fucking bitcoin is destroying us,’” he recalled.
“I used to be in my late 40s, not very younger, and perhaps it was not the proper second to be taking so many dangers,” he added.
“However I didn’t wish to cease. Jean-François and I continued to be very assured concerning the value of Bitcoin rising once more at some point.”
Alternative In The Congo
By 2019, rise once more it did, assuaging a few of Gouspillou’s monetary ache within the course of.
“The worth saved us as a result of we had the capability to pay again our traders for some ASICs we misplaced due to the mafia,” mentioned Gouspillou.
Gouspillou and Augusti have been in a position to purchase a brand new fleet of ASICs whereas the worth of the machines was very low, which helped to make their operations very worthwhile shifting ahead, particularly because the 2020 bitcoin bull run accelerated.
And the winds of destiny actually shifted when Gouspillou first met Prince Emmanuel de Merode of Belgium, a conservationist and anthropologist who works to protect Virunga and establish peace in the DRC.
“In 2020, he requested me to create a mining farm in Virunga,” mentioned Gouspillou.
“It was the very best second of the lifetime of the corporate, as a result of we turned worthwhile on our amenities across the globe and well-known after we took this chance in Virunga,” he added.
“Earlier than Virunga, we have been mining. With Virunga, we applied mining that was socially helpful.” (Extra on how mining in Virunga is “socially helpful” later within the piece.)
This isn’t to say that beginning the farm within the Congo was straightforward, although.
Gouspillou described how there’s been preventing on this area lengthy earlier than he and Augusti introduced their first container of ASICs there, and the preventing has solely intensified since.
“I’m alleged to go to Virunga subsequent week, however I’ve to attend as a result of there’s a deep conflict on this area in the intervening time,” defined Gouspillou.
Regardless of the battle, Gouspillou, Augusti and the 2 different staff members that based the Virunga farm have had notable success within the area. They began with two containers stuffed with 700 ASIC S9s. These machines have been powered by hydroelectric power from a plant on the Luviro River, close to Ivingu, since that point.
Mining bitcoin with a low value of electrical energy within the area shortly made the operation worthwhile, which not solely made Gouspillou’s traders comfortable however Prince de Merode, as properly.
Prince de Merode had invited Gouspillou and his staff to Virunga to help his work in preserving the park. The association appeared like this: Initially, Gouspillou and his staff introduced in two containers — one owned by BigBlock Datacenter and one owned by the park. BigBlock Datacenter paid the electrical energy prices for his or her container however managed each. (Now, there are 10 containers within the park, seven owned by BigBlock Datacenter and three owned by the park.)
The income from the bitcoin mined by the park went/go to the park to assist protect it. The mining farm additionally started using locals who would in any other case must resort to burning bushes in efforts to supply coal that they might promote.
The advantages of building this plant within the area are illustrated in a brief documentary Gouspillou confirmed at Adopting Bitcoin El Salvador 2023 (1:29-7:05 within the following video):
Extra not too long ago, Gouspillou and his staff realized that they might use the warmth produced from the mining to dry fruits in addition to cocoa beans, that are used to make chocolate.
Whereas the mining farm presently employs 15 individuals full time, the fruit and cocoa drying efforts have created one other 50-60 part-time jobs for these dwelling across the farm. Gouspillou sees the potential for these operations to scale up within the close to future.
“With the fruits, we are able to think about creating 100 to 300 jobs for individuals,” he mentioned.
However within the breath after Gouspillou mentioned the potential within the area, he additionally touched on the hardships, a few of which have each been heartbreaking and have made scaling tough.
Hardships
For the reason that onset of operations within the DRC, Gouspillou has misplaced plenty of staff members to each violence and acts of God.
One younger man named Moise was killed and washed away in what Gouspillou described as “a rush of water that got here down from the mountains.”
(Gouspillou and his staff additionally needed to restore the numerous ASICs that have been broken throughout this occasion, lots of which have been new S19s.)
Then, in one other tragic occasion simply six weeks later, members of his staff have been ambushed, leading to 5 deaths.
He described the state of affairs mournfully:
“When the staff members depart the farm to return dwelling, considered one of their choices is to take a aircraft from the park,” he started.
“However generally they do not have sufficient gasoline or kerosene, so now we have to take a automobile 30 kilometers to get to a small airport within the jungle, and the highway now we have to take is harmful,” he added.
“One in all our technicians, the spouse of the cook dinner on the farm and the three others within the automobile have been killed by the Mai-Mai (a insurgent group within the area).”
Gouspillou and his staff took these deaths onerous. The technician, a younger man named Jones who was additionally a supervisor on the farm, had been with the staff for 4 years.
“He began on the lowest stage and in three years turned the boss of the farm,” mentioned Gouspillou.
“We have been very near him. I knew him very properly for the reason that starting; I employed him,” he added.
What’s extra, Prince de Merode has misplaced upwards of 30 rangers from his staff that defend the farm on account of violence over the course of the 4 years the farm has been up and operating (and 200 since Prince de Merode has been the top of the park).
The violence is one thing that by no means will get straightforward to cope with, in line with Gouspillou.
“You’ve gotten one thing like 300 completely different gangs within the area,” he mentioned.
“Once we began in 2020, Emmanuel informed us it had gotten calmer as in comparison with earlier years. Nevertheless, since then, it’s gotten worse yearly,” he added.
How Bitcoin Mining Transforms Areas In Africa
Regardless of the difficult circumstances, Gouspillou stays optimistic. He’s seen the optimistic results Bitcoin mining has had not simply within the DRC, however subsequent door within the Republic of the Congo, the place Gouspillou and his staff now function, as properly.
BigBlock Datacenter has constructed considered one of their latest amenities in Liouesso, a city within the north of the nation. On this area, there’s hardly any trade, partly on account of an absence of electrification, however that’s altering because of the mining operations.
“While you give cash to the producer of electrical energy, you modify the lifetime of a area,” Gouspillou defined.
“Within the city, they’ve a 20 megawatt energy plant, however they solely use two to a few megawatts to feed the city. So, we constructed a 12 megawatt farm there,” he added.
“For the electrical energy supplier, this is essential. We’re an enormous shopper for him. He can now pull the traces to convey electrical energy to some small village as a result of he has some cash.”
The impact that Gouspillou described is similar as what’s occurring in Kenya, Botswana and Malawi, the nations by which Gridless, one other Bitcoin mining firm, operates. Like BigBlock Datacenter, Gridless purchases extra energy from hydroelectric energy vegetation in rural Africa, giving power suppliers a brand new stream of income, permitting them to develop their operations additional into the countryside. This course of gives some African communities access to electricity for the first time.
Gouspillou described the way it’s nearly a no brainer to make the most of this extra energy, as many hydroelectric vegetation in Africa are constructed to supply extra energy than they’re able to shelling out.
“You’ve gotten so many huge hydro energy vegetation, they usually do not have the traces to distribute this electrical energy,” mentioned Gouspillou.
“In Cameroon proper now, an enormous dam constructed by EDF (Électricité de France, France’s nationwide energy firm) produces 80% extra electrical energy than it distributes,” he added.
“While you create an enormous energy plant, it’s usually too huge — wherever you construct it — as a result of there’s no profit to constructing too small. Constructing a 200 megawatt plant prices would not value double what constructing a 100 megawatt plant prices.”
Gouspillou went on to explain how he suggested Nemo Semret, the primary Bitcoin miner in Ethiopia, who now helps oversee the country’s large-scale, state-sponsored mining operations.
“I gave him some recommendation on learn how to make mining containers 4 years in the past, and now the nation is mining with 600 megawatts,” Gouspillou mentioned. “There’s big potential for enlargement there, too.”
Past furthering the electrification of rural Africa, Gouspillou’s mining efforts are having different notably optimistic impacts on their surrounding communities, as properly.
Neighborhood Impression
BigBlock Datacenter’s new farm in Liouesso presently employs 15 full-time technicians and 10 service workers together with cooks, assistants, laundry workers, cleansing and grounds upkeep workers and drivers. And it plans to launch operations for fruit drying within the second half of 2025.
“There now we have monumental drying capability: sufficient to make use of over 100 individuals,” Gouspillou famous.
Greater than offering neighborhood members with jobs, although, Gouspillou and his staff have made different investments in the neighborhood.
Various staff for the principle farm within the DRC have kids who attend a college within the area, which is 5 kilometers from the farm’s camp. BigBlock Datacenter has supplied a Toyota bus to make sure college bus service for the reason that first arrange operations there.
The youngsters and academics as soon as walked this distance each day.
To assist reduce this burden, Gouspillou first lent the neighborhood members his automobile in order that they might drive the gap as an alternative of strolling it. And, extra not too long ago, he’s introduced in a bus to assist transport the neighborhood’s residents to and from the college in bigger numbers.
Moreover, BigBlock Datacenter has additionally made enhancements to the college itself.
“They didn’t have electrical energy within the lecture rooms, so we put in it,” mentioned Gouspillou, who added that they’ve additionally financed the repainting of the college.
“These are very low-cost investments they usually make an enormous distinction for the academics and college students,” he added.
Aujourd’hui, visite de l’école primaire.
y’a d’la joie. https://t.co/CIxiZw7BAJ pic.twitter.com/arUeBc5nji— Seb Gouspillou (@SebGouspillou) January 15, 2025
Translation: “Right this moment, a go to to the first college. There may be pleasure.”
Gouspillou contextualized his contribution by sharing that different corporations which have come to the area have made comparable investments for egocentric functions, seemingly making an attempt to downplay his contribution.
“Oil corporations do it, too, as a result of they must compensate for the air pollution they create by doing good deeds,” he defined.
The distinction with BigBlock Datacenter is that it would not burn gasoline or pollute the setting. It mines bitcoin utilizing renewable power. So, as I perceive it, Gouspillou and his staff are giving again as a result of they suppose it is the proper factor to do.
It turned clear to me that he’s developed deep bonds with the staff members initially from the area as he shared a narrative about two of them who’ve carried out extraordinary work. Gouspillou refers to those two staff members, Patrick Tsongo and Ernest Kyeya, as two of “the true heroes from Virunga.”
“Ernest has been the supervisor of the Virunga farm, and Patrick his second in command,” mentioned Gouspillou.
“We employed them 4 years in the past after they have been 23 years previous. Now they’ve the capability to create a farm. They’ve the capability to restore ASICs, which is efficacious as a result of even when our machines are underneath guarantee, we are able to’t ship them again as a result of the possibilities they may get stolen in transit are excessive,” he added.
“They’ve the capability to restore every kind of points. I feel they’re the very best technicians within the mining world now.”
Ernest and Patrick are actually launching the brand new farm within the Republic of the Congo, they usually not too long ago left the DRC for the primary time of their lives to take action.
“Three months in the past, we went to Pointe-Noire, a port by the ocean within the Republic of the Congo, and it was the primary time they noticed the ocean,” mentioned Gouspillou. “They’re so grateful.”
Gouspillou additionally talked about that they’ve change into tried and true Bitcoiners, as BigBlock Datacenter has given them a bitcoin bonus every year, a few of which they’ve held onto and used because it’s appreciated.
“Initially, they used to promote it,” mentioned Gouspillou.
“Nevertheless, they not too long ago purchased land with the bitcoin they’ve saved. So, now they’re loopy about Bitcoin. They adore it,” he added.
The Future Of BigBlock Datacenter
Transferring ahead, Gouspillou and his staff plan to proceed to develop their operations globally.
They presently have mining tasks in 5 African nations in addition to others in Paraguay (the place Gouspillou says it’s tough to work due to the mafia presence within the nation), Finland, Oman and the small one in Siberia they began years in the past.
“We have been the primary miner in Oman, and I used to be the man who satisfied the federal government to start out mining,” defined Gouspillou. “We began with two containers, and now the nation has huge miners with amenities that may mine with as much as 300 megawatts.”
Additionally they moved their headquarters to El Salvador six months in the past, the place they’re included as BigBlock El Salvador.
Whereas Gouspillou and his staff can probably develop anyplace from right here, he shared that he prefers to give attention to rising their operations in Africa, as he’s most enthusiastic about what his staff is engaged on within the Republic of the Congo proper now.
Towards the top of my interview with Gouspillou, after I requested him the way it feels to see his firm develop to the purpose it has after beginning the method in his late-40s, he chuckled earlier than responding with the next:
“Perhaps I used to be slightly bit too previous, however we had time to construct one thing strong. Now, it’s solely pleasure with this enterprise.”