SOLARCOIN

01 Objectives

The client had a 40 year mission to incentivize a solar powered planet. Our objective was to develop and optimize the core blockchain infrastructure that would make this possible. This meant creating a system where solar producers could easily file claims, receive verifiable rewards of 1 SolarCoin per 1 MWh of energy generated, and securely hold or transact their coins. A critical objective was also managing a major blockchain migration, moving the entire token and user base from a legacy chain to the Energy Web Chain for long-term viability.

02 Challenges

Building and evolving a global energy reward currency presented several unique challenges:

• Verifiable reward mechanism. The core system needed to securely connect real-world solar generation data from monitoring platforms to on-chain token rewards, requiring a trusted and automated bridge.
• Large-scale blockchain migration. The project faced the monumental task of migrating the entire SolarCoin ecosystem at a specific block height (3,977,777) from its original blockchain to the Energy Web Chain, moving all token balances and user data without loss.
• User-friendly claiming process. The platform had to accommodate diverse users, from individual homeowners with solar panels to large installations, through various monitoring platforms or a direct web claim system.
• Legacy wallet support. Many early users held coins in legacy desktop wallets. We needed to provide clear, secure paths for these users to export their keys and migrate their balances to the new chain.
• Exchange and holder coordination. Ensuring centralized exchanges and custody providers also migrated their holdings correctly was critical to maintaining liquidity and user access post migration.

03 Solutions

We architected and executed a comprehensive blockchain strategy focused on sustainability, security, and seamless user transition. Key solutions included:

• Core blockchain infrastructure. We developed the foundational systems on the Energy Web Chain, a blockchain designed for enterprise energy applications, ensuring SolarCoin operates on a purpose-built, energy-efficient network aligned with its mission.
• Automated reward smart contracts. We implemented smart contracts that interface with verified generation data from solar monitoring platforms. These contracts automate the grant process, issuing 1 SolarCoin per MWh to claimant wallets and managing both initial grants (with a 5-year retroactive lookback) and ongoing 6-month distributions.
• Migration architecture. We engineered the complete migration from the legacy SolarCoin blockchain to the Energy Web Chain, capturing the exact state at block 3,977,777, securely migrating all token balances, and establishing the new chain as the sole source of truth for current and future grants.
• Multi-path claiming system. We developed a flexible claiming infrastructure so users can file claims directly via their monitoring company's integrated portal or through a dedicated web application at claim.solarcoin.org, simplifying access for all types of producers.
• Wallet and user guidance. We created comprehensive migration guides for users of the SolarCoin Desktop Wallet and Coinomi, and coordinated with exchanges so custody wallets were migrated, allowing funds to be distributed to users seamlessly.