William Shatner Joins Crypto Mania
Another celebrity in the person of Canadian actor William Shatner is now making his way to the cryptocurrency world.
Shatner is now working as the spokesperson for Solar Alliance, a Canada-based developer of alternative power projects which recently unveiled plans to construct a solar-powered Bitcoin mining operation in an abandoned factory in Illinois.
“The concept is so, I guess the word is bizarre. You have to blank your mind and say, ‘What is blockchain, again? How does mining operate, again?’ The concepts are really strange, and yet when you begin to grasp it, it makes sense,” Shatner said.
While Solar Alliance is building the infrastructure to energize a mining facility, it has no intention of mining bitcoins. Rather, the solar firm is planning to lease the establishment to mining companies after completing the solar panels.
No timeline has been disclosed yet on the completion of renovating the facility and putting up solar panels, chief executive Jason Bak said. But they intend to begin looking for prospective tenants towards the end of the year.
Bak added they plan to dedicate a certain portion of the building to an educational initiative to explain to those interested how solar panels are installed.
Bitcoin mining has a technology to record and verify transactions that utilize the digital currency, a task for which miners, in this case, are paid in bitcoin. Bak said this process, which requires huge amounts of power, could give them an opportunity to cash in on this trend.
He added Illinois’ policy of mandating utilities to purchase RE made this undertaking economically viable. Also, Murphysboro mayor Will Stephens, offered them a 165,000-square-foot former label-making factory which has been unoccupied since 2004.
“The acquisition of this building by Solar Alliance is a wonderful opportunity to move Murphysboro forward toward a brighter future. The combination of solar and cryptocurrency will provide opportunities for the local workforce and position our community for the future. The agreement signed with the major solar panel manufacturer provides a solid partnership that will help deliver a much-needed project to our community,” Stephens said.
The Los Angeles, California-based Shatner, said he may visit the completed factory because “it’s an interesting idea to see it at work because… it’s so esoteric that it’s difficult to understand,” adding he goes to Chicago several times and lives in Kentucky at times.
Shatner is a Canadian actor, author, producer, and director who has been in the television industry for seven decades. He is best known for portraying James Kirk, captain of the USS Enterprise, in Star Trek, a science fiction series created by Gene Roddenberry.
Founded in 2003, Solar Alliance is engaged in the business of developing, marketing, selling, and installing residential, commercial, and industrial rooftop solar systems in Canada, Ireland, and the United States.
Formerly called Finavera Solar Energy, Inc., the company designs wind and solar projects that provide electricity to 150,000 homes, as well as sells electricity to utilities and independent power producers. As of writing, it has developed more than 360 megawatts (MW) of RE projects since its inception 15 years ago.
