DePIN Solana Foundation leader Kulin Nimkar stated that Solana plans to release the full version of the Firedancer update in 2025, with "lite versions" available beforehand.
The update aims to enhance the reliability and scalability of Solana (SOL) as the activity of decentralized infrastructure protocols continues to grow.
DePIN, or decentralized physical infrastructure networks, involves using blockchain to manage and operate physical infrastructure systems.
According to Kulin, the use cases for DePIN in the Solana ecosystem include protocols working on decentralized energy solutions, such as homeowners creating interconnected virtual power plants, as well as GPU networks and data collection. For example, some projects incentivize users to install browser extensions that scan the internet and collect data for training large language models.
Protocols driving DePIN activity on Solana include Helium (HNT), Hivemapper (HONEY), and Render (RNDR). Dune Analytics data shows the number of Hivemapper "cartographers" grew from about 30,000 connected drivers to nearly 67,000 in May 2024.
As node operators for the Hivemapper protocol, cartographers use dashboard-mounted cameras to capture video of streets and intersections while driving. These video data are then used to create maps for various purposes, including navigation. Cartographers are rewarded with the protocol's native token for their contributions.
It is said that Solana's high transaction speed and low cost are incentives for DePIN projects, but network congestion and outages continue to create problems for developers. On February 9, the Solana network experienced another prolonged outage, causing nearly five hours of downtime.
