HASHRATE UP #045 – Optimizing Bitcoin Miners: Control Boards, Firmware & Cooling w/ Jim Seto

In this episode, Jesse is joined by Jim Seto, CEO of Epic Blockchain Technologies — a hardware-first company focused on building smarter, more modular Bitcoin mining systems.

Jim explains how Epic develops custom control boards, firmware, and full-system ASIC solutions for miners operating in both large-scale and remote environments. The conversation dives into:

“Our clients want control, resilience, and flexibility. That’s what we build for.”

SPONSORED BY
Hashbranch – Hosting and hardware made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off every Buy & Host package:
https://hashbranch.com

SoloMining – Decentralized, home-based Bitcoin mining made easy.
https://solomining.de

ABOUT HASHRATE UP
HashrateUp is a podcast focused on the fields of Bitcoin mining and energy, as well as the intersection of the two. Every week new episodes are released featuring industry guests and deep insights guided by the host’s energy and infrastructure background.

Jesse is based in Cape Town and works as a consultant in the Bitcoin mining industry. He founded HashrateUp to bring more hashrate to Africa.

For more: hashrateup.com

🎧 HASHRATE UP #44 – How to Buy and Sell Hashrate in Real Time (w/ Marko Tarman, Nicehash)

What if you could buy 5 exahash of Bitcoin mining power in seconds — without owning a single ASIC?

In this episode, Jesse talks to Marko Tarman, Lead Mining Manager at Nicehash, about how Nicehash has created the world’s first real-time spot market for Bitcoin hashrate. They discuss how the system works, why buyers are bidding on SHA256, how payouts compare to traditional FPPS pools, and why institutional miners still hesitate to join.

If you're a miner or a buyer of hashrate, this episode will change how you think about mining economics.

SPONSORED BY
Hashbranch – Hosting & hardware made simple. Use code HASHRATEUP100: hashbranch.com
SoloMining – Home-based Bitcoin mining made easy: solomining.de

🎙 About HashrateUp
HashrateUp is a weekly podcast about Bitcoin Mining and Energy — hosted by Jesse, a mining consultant based in Cape Town, focused on bringing more hashrate to Africa.

🎧 Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hashrateup
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HashrateUp

🎧 HASHRATE UP #043 – Heat is a Product, Not a Problem (w/ Tyler Stevens, Exergy)

This week, Jesse speaks with Tyler Stevens, author of Bitcoin Mining Heat Reuse and founder of Exergy, a company focused on integrating Bitcoin miners into heating infrastructure.

They explore:
– The economic viability of heat reuse in mining
– Tyler’s background in thermal engineering
– The 3-tier model of heat reuse: residential, commercial, industrial
– Retrofitting ASICs for homes & businesses
– Real-world case studies: hot spring resorts, Finland’s district heating
– Standardization, chip access & the future of smart heat

Tyler explains why reused heat could become a primary utility of Bitcoin mining, enabling a new generation of decentralized, energy-efficient infrastructure.

🎙 ABOUT HASHRATE UP

HashrateUp is a Podcast focused on the fields of Bitcoin Mining and Energy, as well as the intersection of the two. Every week new episodes are released. The podcast always features a guest from the industry and shares insights based on the host’s questions.

Jesse is the host. He has an energy background and works as a consultant in the Bitcoin Mining industry. He is based in Cape Town and his business was founded on the premise of bringing more Hashrate to Africa.

🔥 SPONSORED BY

Hashbranch – Hosting and hardware made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off every Buy & Host package.
👉 https://hashbranch.com

SoloMining – Decentralized, home-based Bitcoin mining made easy.
👉 https://solomining.de
Use code HASHRATEUP for 5% off

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans made simple.
👉 https://firefish.io/?ref=HASHRATEUP
Use code HASHRATEUP for 30% off platform fees

📲 FOLLOW HASHRATE UP

🌐 Website: https://hashrateup.com
🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HashrateUp
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hashrateupbtc/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hashrateup
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hashrateup
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hashrateup

👤 GUEST: Tyler Stevens
Founder of Exergy | Author of Bitcoin Mining Heat Reuse
🔗 https://tylerstevens.me

🎧 HashrateUp #42 – From Flare Gas to 500+ MW: Inside Giga Energy’s Bitcoin Mining Infrastructure

In this episode, Jesse is joined by Collin Kelly, Enterprise Account Manager at Giga Energy, to unpack how the company evolved from flare gas Bitcoin mining to delivering institutional-grade infrastructure across the globe.

Collin shares his journey from building his own mining startup to leading enterprise deals at Luxor and now at Giga. He explains what makes high-quality mining containers stand out, why after-sales service is a serious advantage, and how trends like hydro cooling, ASIC standardization, and smart infrastructure are shaping the next wave of Bitcoin mining.

🎙 Topics include:
– Giga Energy’s origin in flare gas mining
– Air-cooled vs hydro vs immersion containers
– ASIC compatibility and 2U form factors
– Hosting ROI and turnkey site sales
– Why most infrastructure fails without local support
– What sets Giga apart: warranty, spare parts, and service

Whether you run a 20 MW farm or are planning your first ASICs, this episode will sharpen your perspective on what it takes to scale mining infrastructure the right way.

🔥 Sponsored by:

Hashbranch – Hosting & hardware made simple
💥 Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off
👉 hashbranch.com

SoloMining – Home-based Bitcoin mining made easy
👉 solomining.de – Code: HASHRATEUP

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans without selling BTC
👉 firefish.io/?ref=HASHRATEUP – Code: HASHRATEUP

📡 Stay connected:
Twitter: @HashrateUp
YouTube: HashrateUp

🧠 Tags:
#BitcoinMining #GigaEnergy #MiningInfrastructure #HydroMining #ASICHosting #FlareGas #ProofOfWork #Hashrate #BitcoinPodcast

EPISODE 41 — The Bitcoin Hosting Business Is Way Harder Than You Think
Guest: Brock Tompkins (CEO, Deep South Operating)

Brock Tompkins is the CEO of Deep South Operating (DSO), a U.S.-based hosting provider running 35 megawatts across two sites in Mississippi and Tennessee — including immersion setups and one of the most unique mining locations in North America: a decommissioned nuclear facility.

In this episode, Brock opens up about the real challenges of operating hosting infrastructure at scale. We talk about:
– Why DSO was born from a bad customer experience
– What happens when clients abandon their ASICs
– Why immersion didn’t work out as planned
– How power prices and contracts define survival
– The future of rev-share deals and post-halving margins
– DSO’s next move: Bitaxe-style home miners built in the USA

This is a raw, honest, and deeply practical conversation for anyone serious about mining — whether you're running a few machines or managing megawatts.

—

SPONSORS

Hashbranch – Hosting and hardware made simple
💥 Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off every Buy & Host package
🔗 https://hashbranch.com

SoloMining – Quiet, powerful home-based mining made easy
💥 Use code HASHRATEUP
🔗 https://solomining.de

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans made simple
💥 Use code HASHRATEUP
🔗 https://firefish.io/?ref=HASHRATEUP

—

🎙 Host: Jesse Pielke
Cape Town-based energy consultant and mining strategist
HashrateUp shares weekly conversations at the intersection of Bitcoin, mining, and energy.

—

🌐 More: hashrateup.com
🎧 YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram – @hashrateup

🎧 HashrateUp #040 – Why LATAM Is Bitcoin’s Next Mining Frontier w/ Nacho Pauls

Nacho Pauls (Managing Director, Mining & Energy at Penguin Group) explains how Paraguay’s abundant hydropower, low-cost energy, and fast buildout timelines make it one of Bitcoin’s most strategic mining destinations.

Penguin Group built a 100 MW site in 10 months — powered by the Itaipú Dam — and uses part of its revenue to fund a nonprofit coding academy that has trained over 4,500 youth in Paraguay.

💡 Topics covered:
– How to build Bitcoin infrastructure in LATAM
– Second-life ASIC strategies & tax arbitrage
– Paraguay, Argentina & Canada compared
– Why ops excellence beats cheap power
– Mining with impact: education meets proof-of-work

🔥 SPONSORED BY

Hashbranch – Hosting and hardware made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP100: https://hashbranch.com

SoloMining – Home-based Bitcoin mining made easy.
Use code HASHRATEUP: https://solomining.de

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP: https://firefish.io/?ref=HASHRATEUP

📺 Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hashrateup
🌐 More: hashrateup.com

#BitcoinMining #HashrateUp #PenguinGroup #LATAMMining #BitcoinOnly

🎧 HASHRATE UP #039 – The 5 J/TH SEALminer: Bitdeer’s Bold ASIC Strategy w/ Haris Basit

This week, Jesse is joined by Haris Basit, CSO of Bitdeer – one of the world’s most vertically integrated Bitcoin mining companies.

They dive deep into:
• The newly announced SEAL A3 miner and its goal of 5 J/TH efficiency
• Why Bitdeer designs its own ASICs and builds its own infrastructure
• Competing with Bitmain and Whatsminer on price, quality, and energy use
• The company’s 2.7 GW global footprint – from Texas to Bhutan
• How Bitdeer plans to manufacture in the US and explore open-source firmware
• Using AI in chip design and data center management
• The real economics behind mining hardware and power integration

If you're serious about Bitcoin mining, ASIC efficiency, or how this industry is evolving at the edge of hardware, energy, and economics – don’t miss this one.

🎙 ABOUT HASHRATE UP
HashrateUp is a podcast focused on the fields of Bitcoin Mining and Energy, as well as the intersection of the two. New episodes every week. The podcast always features a guest from the industry and shares insights based on the host’s questions.

Jesse is the host. He has an energy background and works as a consultant in the Bitcoin mining industry. He is based in Cape Town and his business was founded on the premise of bringing more Hashrate to Africa.

🔥 SPONSORED BY
Hashbranch – Hosting and hardware made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off every Buy & Host package.

SoloMining.de – Decentralized, home-based Bitcoin mining made easy.
Use code HASHRATEUP

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP

🎧 HASHRATE UP #038 – Inside the Engine Room of Bitcoin Mining (w/ Shyke Lowers, Satokie Mining)

What does it take to operate 186 megawatts of Bitcoin mining infrastructure — and scale toward 1 gigawatt?

In this episode, Jesse speaks with Shyke Lowers, COO and Co-Founder of Satokie Mining, about the toughest part of industrial Bitcoin mining: operations. They dive into what makes or breaks a mining site — from infrastructure design and on-site team management to technician training, fault diagnostics, and culture-building.

📌 Topics include:
– $55 hashprice: relief or still painful?
– Bitcoin mining culture vs. Bitcoin Twitter
– Satokie’s “road dog” deployment strategy
– Infrastructure quality: cooling, layout, design
– How to scale ops without breaking things
– Career paths: tech 1 to site manager
– Pricing models for managed mining
– Marketing that actually works in mining
– The path to 1 GW and a global footprint

🎙 ABOUT HASHRATE UP

HashrateUp is a Podcast focused on the fields of Bitcoin Mining and Energy, as well as the intersection of the two. Every week new episodes are released featuring industry guests and deep operational insights from the host Jesse — an energy consultant and Bitcoin mining expert based in Cape Town. His mission: bring more hashrate to Africa.

🔥 SPONSORED BY

Hashbranch – Hosting and hardware made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off every Buy & Host package:
🔗 https://hashbranch.com

SoloMining – Decentralized, home-based Bitcoin mining made easy.
Use code HASHRATEUP
🔗 https://solomining.de

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP
🔗 https://firefish.io/?ref=HASHRATEUP

📡 FOLLOW HASHRATE UP

🌍 Website: hashrateup.com
🎦 YouTube: youtube.com/@hashrateup
🐦 Twitter: @HashrateUp
📸 Instagram: @hashrateupbtc
🎵 TikTok: @hashrateup
💼 LinkedIn: HashrateUp

🎧 Episode 37 – BitFuFu Is a NASDAQ Miner—but Their Playbook Is Totally Different
Guest: Charlie Bradley (VP Investor Relations, BitFuFu)

BitFuFu (NASDAQ: FUFU) is unlike any other public Bitcoin miner.

In this episode, Jesse and Charlie dive into:
• BitFuFu’s cloud-first model and retail hashrate strategy
• Operating 566+ MW across 5 continents
• Strategic partnership with Bitmain
• Vertical integration: BitFuFu OS, pool, Aladdin system
• Why the market still misunderstands their value
• Expansion plans, break-even costs & energy pricing

—

🎙 Host: Jesse – Bitcoin mining consultant based in Cape Town
🌐 More: hashrateup.com

—

🔥 Sponsored by:
Hashbranch – Hosting & hardware made simple → hashbranch.com
Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off Buy & Host

SoloMining – Home-based mining made easy → solomining.de
Use code HASHRATEUP

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans → firefish.io/?ref=HASHRATEUP
Use code HASHRATEUP

—

#BitcoinMining #BitFuFu #CloudMining #Hashrate #BitcoinOnly #EnergyStrategy #MiningAfrica

HASHRATE UP #036 – How to Extend ASIC Lifespan w/ Deepak Atyam (Hashbranch)

Jesse is joined by Deepak Atyam, co-founder and COO of Hashbranch – a mining investment platform focused on aligned incentives and Second Life strategies for Bitcoin ASICs.

Topics discussed:
– ASIC lifecycle management and profitability extension
– Hosting deals and the 13,000-unit relocation with Merkle Standard
– Profit-sharing vs. fixed-fee models
– U.S. vs. international hosting strategy
– Tax strategies using mining depreciation
– Deepak’s aerospace background (NASA, SpaceX)
– Ideal customers for Hashbranch

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Deepak’s Role at Hashbranch
03:00 – What is Second Life Mining?
09:00 – Hosting Strategy & Profit Models
16:00 – The Merkle Deal: 13,000 ASICs
21:00 – US vs. Global Hosting & Tariffs
28:00 – Deepak’s Background (NASA, SpaceX)
33:00 – Tax Alpha & Ideal Customers
41:00 – Outro & Vision for Hashrate as an Asset

Sponsored by:

Hashbranch – Hosting and hardware made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP100 for $100 off every Buy & Host package
www.hashbranch.com

SoloMining.de – Home-based Bitcoin mining made easy.
Use code HASHRATEUP
www.solomining.de

Firefish – Bitcoin-backed loans made simple.
Use code HASHRATEUP
www.firefish.io/?ref=HASHRATEUP

Disclaimer: Nothing in this episode is financial advice. Do your own research and consult a CPA for any tax matters.

Listen to all episodes and follow us at hashrateup.com