China Submerges First Data Storage Unit of Commercial Data Center Underwater Near Hainan Island on November 24th.
Upon completion, the underwater data center is expected to save 40-60% more energy compared to land-based centers, according to Pu Ding, the project manager. Engineers took nearly three hours to place the 1,300-ton storage unit at a depth of 35 meters underwater. The entire project includes 100 such units, CGTN reported on November 24th.
Model of underwater commercial data center. (Photo: CMG)
The deployment of underwater data centers can offer numerous advantages. The center can utilize water for cooling electrical components, significantly reducing the energy costs associated with air conditioning. “The entire data center can be naturally cooled,” said Xie Qian, an engineer at the CTTL Terminals Laboratory of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT). “Seawater cooling technology also helps increase server density and enhances computing capacity.”
Additionally, underwater data centers can utilize the vast space at the seabed to reduce land costs. They are also situated far from human habitats, resulting in less interference. The underwater environment is free from dust and oxygen, thus prolonging the lifespan of electronic equipment and reducing malfunctions. According to Xie, some underwater data centers will be located near coastal cities, making them closer to core network nodes, which enhances network responsiveness.
Although companies like Microsoft have experimented with underwater data centers and concluded that the plans are feasible, China’s version is the first to be commercially operational and serve real customers.
