China Pioneers Offshore Wind-Powered Underwater Data Centres
- tech360.tv
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Shanghai has launched an underwater data centre (UDC) directly linked to an offshore wind farm, a global first. This pioneering facility aims to meet soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing power.
The UDC is located 10 kilometres off Shanghai’s eastern coast, 10 metres beneath the water. Shanghai HiCloud Technology, a subsidiary of Highlander, built the facility within Shanghai’s Lingang Special Area.
This project, which represents a total investment of USD 232.4 million, has a planned capacity of 24 megawatts. It serves as a key pilot to explore the technical and commercial viability of subsea data centres connected to onshore cloud and telecoms infrastructure.
The cluster will power multiple applications, including AI scenarios, embodied intelligence, and autonomous driving. This initiative is part of China's broader efforts to expand its computing power supply by looking to the seas and skies.
Shanghai's coastal project follows an earlier UDC initiative by Highlander off the southern island province of Hainan. The Hainan facility was installed in a 1,300-ton underwater data cabin, equivalent to the weight of 1,000 passenger cars.
The first phase of the Hainan UDC project finished construction in 2023. The first phase of the Hainan UDC project, which finished construction in 2023, was projected by Deputy General Manager Li Jiawen of HiCloud to save 26,000 tons of water and 3.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Li added that this first phase of the Hainan facility was also projected to reduce carbon emissions by about 2,720 tons compared with traditional land data centres of the same size. Analysts noted HiCloud had demonstrated "comparative advantages of submarine data centres" through its commercial operation in Hainan.
The combination of subsea data centres and offshore wind power could help Shanghai solve computing bottlenecks. The city faces limited land resources, while AI workloads demand high-efficiency, low-latency local computing power.
However, analysts also pointed out difficulties in building subsea facilities, as the technology is still in its early stages. Challenges include a lack of standards, operational and maintenance difficulties, and economic viability.
Globally, there has been wider interest in submerged computing hubs. In the US, Microsoft explored similar possibilities through its Project Natick, though it stated in 2024 that the project was no longer active due to concerns over its operational feasibility.
Shanghai has launched the world’s first underwater data centre directly linked to an offshore wind farm.
The facility, built by Shanghai HiCloud Technology, aims to support artificial intelligence and other high-demand computing applications.
The project, located 10 kilometres off Shanghai, has a total investment of USD 232.4 million and a planned capacity of 24 megawatts.
Source: SCMP
