In the buzzing, electrified world of crypto mining, there’s one thing more valuable than the latest ASIC rig or a low-fee mining pool: electricity. Without power, the whole operation comes to a standstill. Now imagine trying to mine in countries where electricity isn’t just expensive — it’s unstable. Rolling blackouts, voltage fluctuations, rationing, or no power for hours, sometimes days. That’s the daily reality in places like Lebanon, Pakistan, and other regions struggling with energy crises.
So, what does mining look like in these challenging environments? Is it possible, profitable, or just a pipe dream? Let’s explore the raw, gritty economics of mining in power-strapped nations and why, despite all odds, some people are still making it work.
Mining Where Power Is a Luxury
Let’s be real — crypto mining thrives in places with cheap and consistent electricity. That’s why you hear about farms in Iceland (hydropower), Kazakhstan (coal), and Texas (renewables). But Lebanon? Pakistan? These places make headlines for electricity shortages, not surplus.
In Lebanon, power outages can last up to 20 hours a day. Citizens rely on private diesel generators to survive, let alone mine. In Pakistan, entire neighborhoods face scheduled “load shedding” to reduce strain on the grid, especially during the summer. Yet, in both places, mining communities exist and they’re growing.
Why? Because where there’s adversity, there’s innovation. And where the financial system fails, people turn to crypto not as an investment, but as a lifeline.
The Real Costs (and Creative Workarounds)
1. Electricity: The Elephant in the Room
In places with unreliable power, electricity isn’t just expensive — it’s unpredictable. Generators burn diesel, and diesel isn’t cheap, especially when supply chains break down or fuel subsidies are slashed. One liter of diesel might power a rig for an hour or two, depending on the setup. Multiply that by 24 hours a day, and you can see how fast costs add up.
Some miners operate at night only, when electricity is more stable. Others build mining rigs with low power consumption to make generator usage more efficient. There’s even a growing trend of hybrid mining setups — solar power by day, generator by night. It’s not elegant, but it’s functional.
2. Hardware Imports and the Black Market
Getting your hands on mining hardware in these countries is another story. In Lebanon, official imports are tightly regulated or prohibitively expensive. In Pakistan, customs delays can stretch for months. As a result, a thriving black market for used or smuggled mining gear exists. It’s not uncommon to find WhatsApp groups where miners swap GPUs or sell DIY ASIC rigs built from parts scavenged off the grid.
Of course, with the black market comes risk — no warranty, no guarantees, and plenty of scams. But in places where official channels are broken, people do what they must.
3. Internet Connectivity and Infrastructure Gaps
Power isn’t the only problem. You need a stable internet to stay connected to mining pools and blockchain networks. In remote or underserved regions, that’s another hurdle. A miner in rural Pakistan might rely on 4G hotspots or share bandwidth with neighbors. In Lebanon, during economic collapse, ISPs struggled to keep services running.
Still, mining continues — sometimes on shaky connections, sometimes offline for hours, but always fueled by a kind of stubborn hope. Because for many, mining is not a side hustle — it’s a fight for financial autonomy.
The Why: Economic Collapse Breeds Innovation
Why mine crypto when your power situation is a nightmare? Why bother when the banks don’t work, inflation is spiraling, and the government might ban crypto tomorrow?
Exactly because of all that.
In Lebanon, the local currency (the Lebanese pound) lost more than 90% of its value in just a few years. In Pakistan, inflation and currency devaluation have made savings a dangerous game. People don’t trust banks. They don’t trust fiat. They want something outside the system.
Enter mining.
Even a small mining operation — one GPU, one ASIC, running for a few hours a day — can generate a modest but hard currency income in Bitcoin or Ethereum. That’s money that can be converted to dollars, used online, or saved on a wallet no bank can touch.
As expert Kirill Yurovskiy explains, “In unstable economies, mining becomes more than a business — it becomes a statement. It’s about reclaiming agency in a broken system.”
The Rise of Mining Collectives and Underground Networks
One surprising trend in unstable electricity regions is the rise of cooperative mining. Picture this: a few friends chip in to buy a generator, a solar panel setup, and a couple of rigs. They split the costs, share the earnings, and rotate who manages the operation.
In both Pakistan and Lebanon, informal mining collectives are popping up. Some are as small as 2-3 people; others have grown into neighborhood operations with 20+ rigs. These setups often operate in industrial zones or rural areas, where regulations are lax and there’s more room to maneuver.
They’re flying under the radar — not out of malice, but necessity. In many of these countries, the legal status of crypto is murky at best, dangerous at worst. So people form quiet networks, trade knowledge on Telegram, and watch each other’s backs. It’s grassroots crypto at its rawest.
The Challenges Still Ahead
Mining in power-strapped nations isn’t all success stories and resilience. It’s full of risks, burnouts, and shut downs. Generators break. Fuel runs out. Governments crack down. And let’s not forget the environmental toll — diesel-based mining is far from green.
Plus, as the global mining difficulty increases, it becomes harder for these underpowered operations to remain competitive. They’re not making six-figure profits — they’re just making enough to matter.
That’s why more miners in these countries are turning to alternative coins or low-difficulty chains. It’s not always about Bitcoin. Coins like Ravencoin, Litecoin, or even niche tokens with GPU-friendly algorithms offer a better shot at profitability when electricity is scarce.
Hope on the Horizon
Here’s where things get interesting: renewable energy is becoming the unexpected ally of underground miners. In Pakistan, small-scale solar panels are common in rural areas. In Lebanon, DIY solar setups are growing in urban rooftops. They’re not perfect, but they offer independence — the one thing every miner in these countries craves.
NGOs and tech activists are also stepping in, promoting clean mining projects that combine crypto education with solar infrastructure. Imagine a world where mining helps fund a community’s transition to renewables. It’s not just possible — it’s already happening in pockets.
As Kirill Yurovskiy has noted, “The next evolution of mining isn’t in bigger farms — it’s in smarter, decentralized, community-driven setups.”
Against All Odds
The economics of mining in countries with unstable electricity is a story of contradiction. It makes no sense on paper — but everything makes sense on the ground.
When the power’s out, the banks are broken, and the currency is collapsing, crypto mining isn’t just about profits. It’s about freedom. It’s about survival. It’s about lighting a screen in the dark and saying, “I still have control.”
So yes, the economics are messy. The risks are real. But so is the determination. And in places where hope is in short supply, a little glow from a mining rig means more than most of us can imagine.