Every day, immense volumes of digital data require storage. China is pursuing a groundbreaking approach for its newest data center cluster: submerging them underwater.
On Thursday, November 30, China revealed the inauguration of the world's first underwater data center in Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province. Established by Beijing Highlander Digital Technology Co., it marks a noteworthy technological leap.
The Hainan Undersea Data Center, the world's first commercial undersea data center of its kind, has been running smoothly since its first module was launched on March 31 in Lingshui Li autonomous county in Hainan province, according to its builder. https://t.co/wGOKx27Wai pic.twitter.com/odr92WkKSM
— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) June 6, 2023
Advantages and Challenges of Underwater Data Centers
China's ambitious initiative is not without its challenges, considering the complexity of placing these substantial server farm units beneath the waves. However, the endeavor comes with two noteworthy advantages.
Firstly, the strategy aims at significant land conservation. The plan involves deploying 100 underwater data center blocks by 2025, occupying approximately 68,000 square meters of construction space, equivalent to 13 football fields. This subaquatic placement allows the reclaimed land to be repurposed for other uses while the data centers operate 35 meters underwater.
Secondly, the use of seawater as a natural coolant is crucial for temperature regulation around these data centers. The cooling effect is anticipated to save about 122 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, equivalent to the average consumption of 160,000 Chinese citizens.
Despite these advantages, challenges arise in ensuring these 1,300-ton units can withstand underwater pressure and corrosion without adversely impacting marine ecosystems.
Each unit boasts substantial processing power, managing 4 million high-definition images every 30 seconds - akin to the capabilities of 60,000 PCs. Noteworthy entities like China Telecom and Tencent are among the seven companies utilizing the services of the world's first commercial undersea data center in Hainan province.
The center not only serves as a disaster backup resource pool but also functions as an industry model, smart building platform, and intelligent computing center.
The core equipment of this commercial underwater data center, designed to last 25 years, successfully reached a depth of 35 meters after almost three hours of submersion operations. Weighing 1,300 metric tons, it connects to a shore station using sea cables, housing subsystems like power distribution and networking equipment.
The offshore location harnesses seawater for natural cooling, resulting in energy efficiency, reduced land consumption, higher computing power density, enhanced security, and minimized network lag.
Hainan Undersea Data Center and Sustainable Tech Solutions
While the notion of submerging data centers underwater is not entirely novel as Microsoft had conducted trials in 2016, the intricate logistics involved in making such endeavors financially viable have been a persistent challenge.
The Hainan Undersea Data Center now stands as a pioneering example, representing the first commercially deployed underwater data center and marking a significant stride in technological innovation.
This groundbreaking undersea data center is the outcome of a collaborative venture between the government and private entities, strategically positioned off the coast of Sanya in China's Hainan province. With an intended operational lifespan of 25 years for each data center unit, the need for replacements is deferred for an extensive period.
Situated in the South China Sea near Hainan Province, the installation of this supercomputer is sponsored by the Sanya government and is slated for completion in 2025, with an estimated cost of around $879 million.
This development underscores the imperative acknowledgment that the escalating volume of generated data demands substantial energy resources. The growing demands of cutting-edge AI technology accentuate the need for inventive solutions such as underwater data centers to address the energy consumption associated with advancing technologies. Continuous innovations in this domain are crucial to staying abreast of the surging energy requirements accompanying modern data processing.
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