James Howells experiences a rollercoaster of emotions with each fluctuation in the price of Bitcoin (BTC). When Bitcoin soared to an all-time high of $68,763 on November 10, 2021, the 8,000 BTC he had mined on his laptop thirteen years earlier surged in value to a staggering $550 million. Apart from the hefty electricity bills, this windfall came at no expense to him.

However, Howells' newfound wealth was purely hypothetical because the absent-minded IT specialist had discarded the external hard disk containing his Bitcoin wallet long ago. Unintentionally, he threw the hard drive into a trash bag along with other refuse during a routine cleanup.

Subsequently, he drove to the municipal landfill in Newport, South Wales, and disposed of everything amidst the growing trash heap.

It wasn't until later that Howells realized he had mistaken the hard drive, resembling a cell phone in size and holding his Bitcoin wallet, for another that held no valuable data. It took years for him to grasp the gravity of his mistake.

The tale of Howells' lost Bitcoin fortune caught the attention of German businessman Karl Wendekorn and Swiss business partner Hanspeter Jaberg in 2013. With expertise in high-risk ventures, they not only invested in his endeavor to recover the lost hard drive but also provided psychological and motivational support.

Transforming Howells' frustration into productive action, Wendekorn and Jaberg initiated a thorough search for the discarded hard drive, eventually turning it into a commercial project with a team of eight international specialists. Their strategy involves systematically sifting through the 110,000 tons of trash in the Newport landfill using artificial intelligence, with robot dogs deployed for surveillance.

Despite facing obstacles from Newport City officials, who cite environmental concerns, Howells and his team have devised a strategic plan to address these issues. Their comprehensive approach includes removing and cleaning the trash, recycling materials, and eventually generating renewable energy on the reclaimed landfill.

To garner local support, Howells and his backers have pledged to reward each of Newport's 128,000 residents with $50 worth of BTC if the hard drive is recovered. This initiative aims to leave the landfill in better condition than it is presently.

The entire operation is estimated to take three years and cost over $10 million, with venture capital investors poised to fund the project. Despite the considerable risk involved, the team remains undeterred, with experts estimating a 10 to 20 percent chance of the hard drive being damaged.

Regarding the distribution of earnings among investors if the hard drive is located and intact, Wendekorn declined to provide specific details, citing the variable nature of Bitcoin's value.