&gt; any problem that doesn&#x27;t depend on high availability<p>Do you have any specific examples of resource-intensive computing problems (other than SETI@home) that do not depend on high availability? Seems a bit like a solution in search of a problem.<p>I like your example of the power grid as an explanation for how owners of small amounts of computing power might interact with the larger system and have an impact on market prices. But if the analogy truly holds, it would be a good indication of how negligible rewards would be to smaller entities (individuals running computers or smartphones).