Erik Hersman, Phillip Walton, Eric Yakes & Mark Kamau join the show for a deep dive into energy, mining, and the reality of electrifying Africa — and why Bitcoin is quietly unlocking possibilities no NGO or government has ever managed to achieve.
We get into the wild journey across northern Kenya to the forgotten village of Saru where communities live without electricity, refrigeration, or basic infrastructure, and where abundant energy would completely transform life, opportunity, and even culture. Philip and Eric explain why transmission lines will never be built, why NGOs fail 90% of the time, and how Bitcoin mining finally makes it economically viable to electrify the most remote places on earth.
They break down how Gridless finds stranded energy, models profitable solar and hydro builds, and partners with local elders, schools, and entrepreneurs to create real markets — not handouts. We dig into the coming era of “energy first, mining second,” the circular Bitcoin economies emerging across Kenya, why M-Pesa makes Nairobi the easiest city in the world to live on Bitcoin, and how Lightning will become the payment layer for off-grid power.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
FOLLOW:
Danny Knowles: https://x.com/\_DannyKnowles or https://primal.net/danny
Erik Hersman: https://x.com/whiteafrican/
Phillip Walton: https://linkedin.com/in/philip-walton-nairobi
Eric Yakes: https://x.com/ericyakes
Mark Kamau: https://x.com/mark_kamau
