The Rundown: China’s undersea data center is up and running

China’s undersea data center is up and runningImage source: Shanghai Hailanyun Technology

The Rundown: China has begun full commercial operation of what it says is the world’s first offshore wind-powered underwater data center, a $226M facility sitting more than 30 feet beneath the East China Sea off Shanghai’s Lingang Special Area.

The details:The data center sits between two phases of an offshore wind farm, drawing 95% of its electricity from wind generation while using seawater for passive cooling.The 24 MW facility houses nearly 2K servers, including GPU clusters from China Telecom and LinkWise, and is designed to handle AI workloads. Developers say the system cuts electricity consumption by 22.8%, eliminates freshwater use entirely, and reduces land use by more than 90%. Microsoft’s Project Natick previously proved submerged servers can be up to 8x more reliable than land-based ones, but the company shelved the program.

Why it matters: By ditching industrial chillers for passive seawater cooling, China says it has built a data center that runs at a PUE of 1.15 — while powering it almost entirely from wind.

The catch is the same one that sank Microsoft’s Project Natick: when a server fails 30 feet underwater, maintenance is a costly feat.
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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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