I earned about $1400 steem on steemit, but half of it has gone into steem power and it will take me two years to unlock it. If i choose to power down now.

Its used as a fee for running the network, so always has to be topped up, i know why too, because they are holding it for everyones payouts at your expense, in two years will they even have any funds to pay you?

I still dont fully understand where all the money comes from when people upvote your posts.