The PR Blog

From spark plugs to blockchains – decoding the energy behind the future - It’s not about money. It’s about electricity — and who gets left in the dark.

What are AI and Bitcoin really telling us about power, survival, and the future of wealth? 

For those of us who grew up with rotary phones, spark plugs, and a sturdy sense of value, the idea of “digital money” and AI thinking for itself sounds like a cartoon.

But look deeper — and you’ll see it’s not just about currency.

It’s about current.

The Crypto Puzzle Unraveled

At first, crypto seems like cash for coders — no coins, no banks, just numbers on a screen.

But it’s not smoke and mirrors.

Crypto is a system of trust built on a digital ledger called the blockchain — a record of who owns what, shared across thousands of computers worldwide. No single bank or government controls it. Instead, it’s kept secure by technology and, yes, a whole lot of electricity.

Some cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, rely on mining: powerful computers race to solve math puzzles to verify transactions and keep the blockchain ticking. These machines guzzle energy like a V8 engine.

Others, like Ethereum, now use staking, where people lock up their crypto to help secure the network — using far less power.

Bitcoin is just one type of cryptocurrency — the first and most well-known.
Think of it like this:
Crypto is the whole category, and Bitcoin is one coin in the basket.
There are thousands of others too — like Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin — but Bitcoin is the big kahuna that got the digital money game started.

Either way, the blockchain’s strength comes from its decentralised, tamper-proof design.

And what fuels it all?
Electricity. The spark that keeps the system alive.

 Why’s a Place Like Tonga in the Crypto Game?

Ever wonder why a tiny island like Tonga is making crypto headlines?
It’s not about beaches — it’s about volcanoes.

Tonga’s geothermal energy — heat from the Earth — can generate clean, cheap electricity. Crypto miners (and even some stakers) need affordable power to run their data centres.

Places like Tonga, with renewable energy potential, are emerging as hot spots for crypto operations. They’re not leading the pack yet — countries like the U.S. and Canada dominate — but cheap, green energy makes them players in this global race.

Crypto doesn’t chase gold bars. It chases low power bills.

My Dad, the Sparky, and the Power of Now

My Dad was an electrician, working nights in the rain to keep New Zealand’s grid humming. He never mentioned crypto, but he knew power was everything.

When I told my mum about my crypto epiphany, she said:

“It’s like gold, isn’t it? The world doesn’t run without it.”

She’s dead right.

Electricity isn’t just a utility — it’s the lifeblood of the future.

Electricity: The Real Currency

Think about it:

• Crypto needs power to secure its networks.

• AI needs power to train models and crunch data.

• Hospitals, factories, phones, your morning kettle — all depend on the grid.

Nations with cheap, reliable, sustainable energy will lead the next century.
Those without it? They’ll be left in the dark.

Crypto isn’t just a currency — it’s a bet on the infrastructure of tomorrow.

When you buy Bitcoin or Ethereum, you’re investing in a system powered by energy, secured by math, and built for a world where trust doesn’t need a middleman.

Crypto and AI: Siblings, Not Twins

Crypto and AI aren’t the same — but they’re cut from the same cloth.

Both rely on massive data centres — halls of computers humming day and night, cooled by fans and fueled by electricity.

• Crypto creates decentralised systems for money and trust.

• AI processes data to learn, predict, and evolve.

They’re distinct — but they share a hunger for power. The countries and companies mastering energy will dominate both.

Barter, Beer, and the New Deal

Go back a few centuries: You worked, you traded for bread, a bed, maybe a pint. That was barter — simple, real.

Today’s world feels like wizardry, but it’s still barter at heart:

• Programmers trade skills for crypto.

• Miners trade electricity for rewards.

• You trade crypto for goods, services, or access to new systems.

It’s the same old rhythm — just played on electric guitars.

The Ratty News and Monty Takeaway

• Crypto isn’t a toy — it’s a tool for a decentralised world.

• Electricity isn’t just a bill — it’s the currency of progress.

• AI isn’t magic — it’s math on steroids, powered by the grid.

The real story?

It’s about current. Who has it, who controls it, and who’s building more of it.

 A Nod to the Old-School

If you’ve ever wired a house, fixed a generator, or flicked on a light — you get power. You already understand what crypto and AI are built on.

Ask yourself:

• Who’s got the cheapest, most reliable power — not just in the future, but now?

• Who’s actually building a secure, reliable grid — not just announcing one?

  This isn’t the time for blue-sky promises. It’s about avoiding blackouts today.

  

• Where do Australia, New Zealand, or your own backyard truly stand?

•  Are we investing in resilience — or just building reputations that let climate alarmists feel good?

This isn’t just a tech story. It’s a story of survival — and power. And the clock’s already ticking. 

Crypto, exemplified by Bitcoin, is more than a currency—it’s a beacon for the future of wealth.

 

By consuming electricity to create value, it thrives where energy is cheap and abundant, from Tonga’s geothermal fields to Iceland’s hydropower hubs. As energy-poor nations grapple with high costs, business exodus, and rising debt—fueling inflation and eroding fiat’s “trust the government” foundation—crypto signals where industry and prosperity will migrate.

 

Like a canary in the coal mine, its presence marks energy-rich hot spots poised to dominate the next economic era. While fiat clings to institutional inertia and gold to its static past, crypto’s energy anchor points to a future where power, not promises, defines wealth.

 

My final thoughts? 

 

AI, much like crypto mining, is an electricity-hungry beast, and its growing presence reinforces the idea that abundant, reliable, and ideally cheap energy is critical for the modern world. Just as crypto mining thrives in energy-rich environments, AI’s massive computational demands—think data centres running large language models or training neural networks—require robust power infrastructure. Like it or not, AI is with us to stay. And it will only get hungrier..... 

And just like Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors...
“Feed me, Seymour… feed me all night long.”

Only this time, it’s not blood — it’s electricity.

 

The lights are on — but who’s really got the power? In the end, it’s not about who holds the coin. It’s about who controls the current.