Connecting the Blockchain to the Sun to Save the Planet

The purpose of this work is to show how low carbon value can flow across a network and how SolarCoin can operate. The article aims to explain the added value that SolarCoin creates and further to show how a solar powered node on the SolarCoin blockchain actually operates. A test SolarCoin node was also created.The aim of this document is to disseminate valuable information that crosses over between solar engineering, network engineering and finally blockchain development and fintech. The work starts by introducing how to get SolarCoin - either generating it from solar energy, or by trading it. Then the work goes on to explain a general overview regarding how blockchains operate for people who are new to the blockchain technology. And finally the document details plans for a solar powered SolarCoin node that generates SolarCoin and simultaneously protects the transparent consensus ledger. A solar powered SolarCoin node was constructed and tested for an 11-month period and still ongoing at our research labs in Tokyo. The details of the construction and operation of this setup were documented. This document was written in the intent of freely distributing information so that further innovation can occur in the future. In the future, it is hoped that the process of creating an open source SolarCoin blockchain node will be streamlined and simpler, so that SolarCoin nodes can proliferate. This will enable more people to benefit from the added value that SolarCoin has for planet Earth, and its people.