Off the coast of Shanghai, engineers have brought online what is being described as the world’s first underwater data centre powered by wind energy. Located roughly 10 metres beneath the surface in the Lingang Special Zone, the facility uses the surrounding ocean as a natural cooling system.
The project has been developed through a collaboration between HiCloud Technology and China Communications Construction, with an estimated investment of around $236 million and an initial capacity of 24 megawatts.
The concept is straightforward but ambitious. Data centres produce vast amounts of heat, and on land a significant portion of their energy is often spent on cooling systems, sometimes accounting for up to half of total electricity use. By placing servers underwater, this design allows seawater to absorb heat more efficiently, reducing cooling energy demand to under 10 percent.
In addition, the site is intended to operate primarily on offshore wind power. Reports from Chinese media suggest it could run on more than 95 percent renewable electricity, reduce overall energy use by about 22.8 percent, remove the need for freshwater in cooling, and cut land use by over 90 percent compared with conventional facilities on land.
This development comes as the rapid expansion of AI increases global demand for computing power, placing greater strain on electricity networks, water resources, and available land. Every AI system, from chatbots to image generators, depends on large-scale data centres operating continuously.
However, the approach also raises important uncertainties. Researchers still need to evaluate long-term durability underwater, how repairs and maintenance can be carried out, and whether waste heat may have unintended effects on marine ecosystems.
Read more: New Atlas World’s first underwater data centre powered by wind is now online