Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
2 min of reading 
2 comments 
China Inaugurates First Commercial Submarine Data Center in Shanghai, Powered by Wind Energy and Natural Cooling for High Efficiency
China has taken another strategic step in the global technological race. In the city of Shanghai, the country’s first commercial submarine data center has been inaugurated, powered exclusively by offshore wind energy.
The innovation represents a significant evolution after two years of testing with a pilot installation located in Hainan.
Reduction in Consumption and Space Savings
The new structure addresses two of the biggest current concerns in the digital sector: excessive energy consumption and space scarcity in urban areas.
-
The largest scientific infrastructure ever built in Brazil cost R$ 2.8 billion and now gains four new lines to reveal materials, microchips, and even microorganisms at the atomic scale; meet Sirius.
-
A simple cable splice can cost R$ 500,000 in the high-voltage underground project that promises to change the energy game in Brazil and challenge the limits of national electrical engineering.
-
Four robotic arms printed steel layer by layer in Amsterdam and created the world’s first 3D bridge, measuring 12.2 meters, with smart sensors and almost no material waste.
-
While cities like Tokyo, New York, and Frankfurt may take up to 18 months to build a single large-scale water-cooled data center, Google and SpaceX confirmed in May 2026 formal negotiations to launch entire artificial intelligence processing facilities into low orbit before 2030, using Elon Musk’s company’s Starship V3 rockets, with solar power 36% more efficient than on Earth’s surface, vacuum radiative cooling, and prototypes of Project Suncatcher already scheduled to enter orbit in early 2027.
Being submerged, the center reduces energy expenditure by up to 40%. Furthermore, it frees up physical space on land, which is often contested for the construction of this type of infrastructure.
Since December 2022, China has tested a submarine data center in the Hainan region. The structure was installed 30 meters deep and, over two and a half years, has not recorded any server failures.
Based on this experience, Shanghai becomes the second phase, now at commercial scale, of this technology. While other initiatives like Microsoft’s Project Natick have occurred on an experimental basis, Hainan marked the first practical and commercial application in the world.
Multi-Billion Investment and Efficient Energy Use
The total investment in the new data center is 1.6 billion yuan, equivalent to about R$1.2 billion. The system will feature a 24-megawatt cluster, with the first phase consisting of 2.3 megawatts.
The inauguration is scheduled for September. Cooling will be done naturally, with seawater, reducing the use of traditional cooling systems from up to 50% to less than 10% of total energy consumption.
Clean Energy and Focus on Innovation
More than 90% of the energy used in the project will come from offshore wind farms. The initiative integrates technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things together, following China’s strategic line of interconnected innovation.
On June 10, Shanghai authorities signed a tripartite agreement with Hicloud Technology. The plan is to increase the center’s capacity to 24 megawatts and achieve energy efficiency with a PUE index lower than 1.15.
With the inauguration in Shanghai, China strengthens its position at the forefront of submarine digital infrastructure. Meanwhile, most countries are still betting on the expansion of data centers on land.
With information from Xataka.
ACREDITO piamente que o mar já tem alcalinidade demais, e tão logo suas águas descubram seus elementos ferrosos invasivos a seu agitado ambiente, cuidará de guspir fogo nestes mares, seja por descuido humano, seja por ajustes naturais, aguardar e ver….pro/25
Your writing has a way of resonating with me on a deep level. I appreciate the honesty and authenticity you bring to every post. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.