China recently made some big waves by launching the world’s first commercial underwater data center off the coast of Hainan, according to Interesting Engineering. The massive 1,433-ton steel data cabin is a major step in the country’s growing “blue economy” drive.
Constructed 115 feet beneath the surface, the structure uses the ocean’s natural cooling power to run everything from travel apps to restaurant recommendations without the sky-high energy bills of land-based data centers.
“We put the entire data cabin in the deep sea because seawater can help cool down the temperature,” explained Pu Ding, project manager at Shenzhen HiCloud Data Centre Technology, per IE. “Compared to land-based data centers, data centers under the sea can reduce energy consumption needed for cooling, helping to lower operational costs.”
It’s an elegant solution to one of big tech‘s largest environmental headaches: the massive amount of electricity needed to stop data servers from overheating. Data centers worldwide use nearly 2% of global electricity — and that number is rising as demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing expands.
Underwater hubs could change that equation. Harnessing seawater’s consistent temperature, China’s new system slashes energy use and reduces air pollution from power generation. Each submerged unit can hold up to 500 servers, supported by stable ocean currents instead of fans or air conditioning.
The project is part of Hainan’s plan to build 100 underwater data cabins in the coming years to support marine research and smart manufacturing. It also fits with China’s strategy to attract global investment and expand renewable infrastructure, a trend reflected in new solar farms and AI-powered cooling systems at various stages of development.
Microsoft launched a similar project in 2014, albeit as an experiment and one that was ultimately not commercially launched. If successful, the Hainan data network could become a blueprint for how countries power digital growth and protect the planet in the process.
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