After quite bit of research, I decided to invest in a crypto mining machine. The concept of collaborative computing has alsways been a source of fascination for me, beginning with the SETI program many years ago. The first part of my project was to purchase a machine, then gain familiarity of the node functions, and various mining pools. The next step is to try and power the system using a combination of solar and grid power. Here is a link to the equipment I purchased, the Apollo BTC.