The world’s first undersea data centre has begun operating off the coast from Shanghai, powered by a direct offshore wind connection, according to China state media.
The Shanghai Lingang undersea data centre demonstration project, located 10 kms off the coast, was built by a subsidiary of China Communications Construction and combined in its construction offshore engineering, renewable energy, and an AI-focused digital infrastructure.
Chinese officials told the English-language state-run outlet China Daily that the project could serve as a potential template for next-generation computing systems.
Global data centre capacity – measured in megawatts or gigawatts to represent total continuous power available to run at maximum power – is forecast to nearly double to 200 GW by 2030, growth that is expected to require up to $US3 trillion in investment over the remainder of the decade.
Demand for data centre capacity is being driven primarily by the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, but both data centres and AI in particular are hugely power-hungry beasts.
