China Opens World's First Wind-Powered Underwater Data Center
China has opened what it claims is the world's first wind-powered underwater data center. The facility boasts an initial capacity of 24 megawatts and utilizes seawater as a natural cooling system, potentially reducing the significant energy demands typically associated with keeping data center servers at optimal temperatures.
Underwater data centers are not entirely new—Microsoft notably tested a prototype called Project Natick in the North Sea—but China appears to be the first to combine this approach with wind energy at this scale. By situating the facility underwater, operators can take advantage of the consistently cold temperatures of the ocean to cool equipment without relying on energy-intensive air conditioning systems.
The integration of wind power aims to further reduce the facility's carbon footprint, addressing growing concerns about the environmental impact of large-scale data infrastructure. As AI workloads and cloud services continue to expand globally, data centers have become major consumers of electricity and water, driving innovation in more sustainable designs.