First underwater data center cooled by the ocean water and powered with wind energy

Recently, Chinese media announced the launch of an exceptional data center that will function underwater and be powered by wind energy.

Insights about the world’s first underwater data center

According to the available information regarding the project, the launch was initiated in June and finished in October of 2025. Last week became crucial as the data center started to operate fully after successful tests in February of this year.

The underwater data center is located near the coast of Lingang Area in Shanghai. The new project is a direct partnership between HiCloud Technology and the Chinese government, and it is valued at approximately $226 million.

The data center has almost 2,000 servers with cluster graphics processing units from LinkWise and China Telecom, and a general capacity of 24-MW. It is expected that this center will be used for the tasks connected with processing of huge data volumes, AI, and it also supports 5G.

For the large-scale heat dissipation, data center uses seawater, unlike traditional data centers with their ventilation and HVAC systems. All the servers are placed inside pressure-resistant modules at a depth of 35 meters. The water effectively absorbs heat, and the temperature is relatively stable.

The major benefit of this data center is its energy-efficiency; its PUE is below 1.15, which is exceptional when compared with more traditional data centers. Standard corporate data centers function at approximately 1.5 or even higher PUE. The major portion of energy in standard circumstances is used for the needs of the cooling infrastructure.

Despite the obvious benefits, saltwater can provoke corrosion, and underwater pressure can also impact the general performance characteristics of the equipment. In addition to this, there are some risks connected with the reliability and maintenance of underwater cables.  

Hope you found this article helpful - what do you think? Like and subscribe to our blog to get more practical tips and the latest tech news from HostZealot.