China Launches 24MW Underwater Data Centre

China has launched a 24MW underwater data centre off the coast of Shanghai, marking a significant milestone in the country's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. The data centre, which has been put into commercial operation, features approximately 2,000 servers housed in pressure-resistant modules. These modules are cooled by seawater and powered directly by an offshore wind farm, making it a highly sustainable and environmentally friendly facility.

The Lingang facility, which has been built at a cost of around Rs 2,000 crore, boasts a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of under 1.15, indicating its high level of energy efficiency. Additionally, the data centre uses zero freshwater, making it an attractive option for areas where water conservation is a priority.

This project builds on the success of Microsoft's Project Natick, which was launched in 2018. Project Natick involved sinking 855 servers off the coast of Orkney, and the results were impressive, with a failure rate that was one-eighth that of traditional land-based servers. Although Project Natick was later abandoned, it paved the way for future underwater data centre projects like the Lingang facility.

The use of seawater cooling and offshore wind power makes the Lingang facility a highly innovative and sustainable project. Seawater cooling is a highly effective way to cool servers, as it eliminates the need for traditional air conditioning systems, which can be power-hungry and inefficient. Meanwhile, the use of offshore wind power provides a reliable and renewable source of energy, reducing the facility's reliance on fossil fuels.

The launch of the Lingang facility is a significant development in the field of data centre technology, and it is likely to have a major impact on the way data centres are designed and built in the future. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on digital technology, the need for sustainable and efficient data centres has never been more pressing.

The Lingang facility is a testament to China's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and promoting sustainable development. The country has been investing heavily in renewable energy and green technology in recent years, and the launch of this facility is a major milestone in this effort.

In conclusion, the launch of China's 24MW underwater data centre off Shanghai is a significant development in the field of data centre technology. The facility's use of seawater cooling and offshore wind power makes it a highly sustainable and environmentally friendly option, and its launch is likely to have a major impact on the way data centres are designed and built in the future.