306: Real-World Energy, On-Chain: KWARKX, Cardano & Community-Owned Solar

Web3 with Sam Kamani

Sandro, founder of KWARKX, shares how his team is bringing utility-scale solar to chain via NFT membership passes that let anyone participate in project returns—without the usual high minimums. We cover: why Cardano (sustainability, security, decentralization), what on-chain access actually looks like (claimable pools, 10-year participation), and the nuts & bolts of real projects (e.g., a 51 MW Netherlands solar park with 20 MW battery storage powering ~35,000 homes). Sandro explains the surge of RWA interest, grid/storage realities, subsidies vs. open market power sales, and KWARKX’s Project Catalyst journey. We also talk expansion (NL, Austria, Italy, Germany), regulation (MiCA & Dubai VARA), and the roadmap: exhibitions, partnerships, and the goal to fund first parks directly on-chain.

Timestamps

• [00:00] Origin story: solar EPC roots → NFTs as access keys

• [00:02] Problem: Renewable projects require high buy-ins; KWARKX lowers the barrier

• [00:03] Why Cardano: mission fit, security (no hacks), governance, PoS sustainability

• [00:05] Reality of renewables: utility-scale builds, storage changes the game

• [00:06] Case study: 51 MW NL solar + 20 MW battery; ~900M kWh over 20 yrs

• [00:08] Peak demand patterns; storage & dam “battery” concepts

• [00:10] Investor access: NFT = membership pass; claimable ADA pool over 10 yrs

• [00:12] Transparency: on-chain claims, pool visibility, traceability

• [00:13] Customers: grid entities/governments, NFT community, broader RWA crowd

• [00:15] Subsidies vs. free-market power sales; cross-border electricity flows

• [00:16] How big can it get? Launchpad for other assets (real estate tokenization, etc.)

• [00:18] Challenges: regulation (MiCA, VARA), community growth, filtering bad actors

• [00:19] Project Catalyst: winning ~300k ADA, milestones, shipping the MVP

• [00:22] Cardano projects Sandro rates: World Mobile, Minswap, JPEG Store, Catalyst

• [00:23] Expansion map: Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Germany (+ Asia/Gulf interest)

• [00:25] Real-world reality: building in mud/rain; site vlogs; “from the trenches”

• [00:27] Roadmap (18–24 mo): Token2049, global expos, marketing, first on-chain funding

• [00:29] The ask: smart capital, strategic partners, supplier co-builds, community support

Connect

https://x.com/sandrokwarxs

https://x.com/KWARXS

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/kwarxs

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