China launches world's 1st wind-powered underwater data center
What's the story
China has started operations at the world's first wind-powered underwater data center off the coast of Shanghai. The facility, dubbed the Shanghai Lingang undersea data center demonstration project, was launched in May as a joint effort between HiCloud Technology and state-owned China Communications Construction. With a capacity of 24 megawatts, this pioneering project is part of China's efforts to address energy challenges posed by its AI boom.
Operational details
The facility is submerged 10 meters underwater
The new data center is located some 10km off Shanghai's coast, submerged 10 meters underwater. It draws power from a nearby offshore wind farm. The Chinese government says this facility consumes over 20% less power than its land-based counterparts. This is mainly because it uses renewable energy and benefits from the natural cooling effect of seawater immersion, reducing its overall energy demands.
Resource management
Addressing the water and energy challenges
Traditional land-based data centers consume a lot of electricity for cooling systems to prevent overheating. This contributes to their high water consumption. However, with the deployment of underwater data centers like this one, the reliance on freshwater supplies is reduced significantly. The UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health recently warned that by 2030, data centers could consume up to 9.3 trillion liters of water—enough to meet annual domestic needs of all sub-Saharan Africa's 1.3 billion people.
Strategic focus
Strategic importance in China's AI push
China has prioritized AI as a key part of its economic and development strategy. Last year, it unveiled an AI action plan that called for accelerating data center construction. The government has also promised to "significantly increased" clean energy supplies for AI infrastructure by 2030. The Shanghai Lingang data center received an investment of 1.6 billion yuan (£177 million), highlighting its strategic importance in this initiative.
Ecological concerns
Risks to marine ecosystems
While underwater data centers offer many benefits, they also pose some risks to marine ecosystems. These include sediment disturbance and seawater heating. Experts believe these risks are manageable but will require further monitoring. Prof Rick Stafford, a marine biologist at Bournemouth University, said "An underwater datacentre is likely a good idea. While the cooling using seawater will result in some localized elevated temperatures, these will not be far reaching."