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China is pulling ahead of the rest of the world in sinking data centers that power AI into the ocean as an alternate way to keep them cool
To grow its economy, China is betting big on artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other digital technology—and a big part of that bet involves rapidly building data centers to boost computing power. But these massive collections of servers gobble up growing amounts of energy, and each one cycles through hundreds of thousands of gallons of water a day to carry away the heat they generate.
That means these facilities—in China and beyond—will increasingly compete with water demand linked directly to human survival, from agriculture to daily drinking. Many companies have sited their data centers in some of the driest regions of the world, including Arizona, parts of Spain, and the Middle East, because dry air reduces the risks of damage to the equipment from humidity, according to an investigation by the nonprofit journalist organization SourceMaterial and the Guardian. Partly to address water concerns, China is now putting a data center in the wettest place there is: the ocean. This June construction began on a wind-powered underwater data center about six miles off the coast of Shanghai, one of China’s AI hubs.
“China’s ambitious approach signals a bold shift toward low-carbon digital infrastructure, and it could influence global norms in sustainable computing,” says Shabrina Nadhila, an analyst at energy-focused think tank Ember, who has researched data centers.
Roughly 40 percent of the electricity consumed by an ordinary data center is for this purpose. Most of that energy is used to chill water, which is sprayed into the air that circulates around the servers or is allowed to evaporate near them, lowering their temperatures. That water can come from underground, from nearby rivers or streams, or from reclaimed wastewater.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-powers-ai-boom-with-undersea-data-centers/
To grow its economy, China is betting big on artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other digital technology—and a big part of that bet involves rapidly building data centers to boost computing power. But these massive collections of servers gobble up growing amounts of energy, and each one cycles through hundreds of thousands of gallons of water a day to carry away the heat they generate.
That means these facilities—in China and beyond—will increasingly compete with water demand linked directly to human survival, from agriculture to daily drinking. Many companies have sited their data centers in some of the driest regions of the world, including Arizona, parts of Spain, and the Middle East, because dry air reduces the risks of damage to the equipment from humidity, according to an investigation by the nonprofit journalist organization SourceMaterial and the Guardian. Partly to address water concerns, China is now putting a data center in the wettest place there is: the ocean. This June construction began on a wind-powered underwater data center about six miles off the coast of Shanghai, one of China’s AI hubs.
“China’s ambitious approach signals a bold shift toward low-carbon digital infrastructure, and it could influence global norms in sustainable computing,” says Shabrina Nadhila, an analyst at energy-focused think tank Ember, who has researched data centers.
Keeping Data Centers Cool
Data centers store information and perform complex calculations for businesses, whose increasing automation is steadily ramping up such needs. These facilities consume vast amounts of electricity and water because their servers work nonstop and in close proximity—and they generate waste heat as a by-product, which can damage equipment and destroy data. So they need to be constantly cooled.Roughly 40 percent of the electricity consumed by an ordinary data center is for this purpose. Most of that energy is used to chill water, which is sprayed into the air that circulates around the servers or is allowed to evaporate near them, lowering their temperatures. That water can come from underground, from nearby rivers or streams, or from reclaimed wastewater.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-powers-ai-boom-with-undersea-data-centers/
