- China’s underwater data center combines deep-sea cooling with renewable wind power
- The Lin-gang project will deliver 2.3 megawatts in its first operational phase
- The ocean’s natural cooling is replacing conventional coolers in China’s new data hub
China’s experiment in submerging digital infrastructure under the sea has now moved from theory to commercial reality.
The Lin gang’s special area in Shanghai has become home to what the country calls the world’s first underwater data center.
The $226 million project combines renewable energy with deep-sea cooling to improve efficiency and sustainability.
A new phase in data infrastructure
The Lin-gang facility’s first phase is operational, producing 2.3 megawatts of capacity, and developers claim the full building will eventually reach 24 megawatts.
This output would place it well ahead of Microsoft’s Project Natick, which was primarily an experimental effort and abandoned in 2024.
The 35m deep subsea facility is supported by major state-backed entities including Shenergy, China Telecom’s Shanghai branch and CCCC Third Harbor Engineering.
Its operator, Shanghai Hicloud, has already outlined a vision for a much larger 500 megawatt expansion in offshore environments.
From a technical point of view, the method is straightforward: servers are enclosed in waterproof capsules and placed on the seabed.
The natural properties of the sea act as the cooling medium and remove the need for conventional coolers.
The company claims this setup achieves a power consumption efficiency below 1.15, an improvement over both China’s current efficiency benchmark and many land-based hyperscale facilities.
Proponents of the project argue that the underwater approach reduces energy demand for cooling while allowing almost total reliance on renewable sources.
The developers estimate that around 95% of the facility’s electricity will come from offshore wind, eliminating the need for grid power or fresh water.
If the numbers hold, the site could mark real progress toward low-impact, sustainable computing.
However, there are clear limitations. Microsoft’s past experience shows that there are practical disadvantages to servicing, upgrading and replacing components.
Since each capsule is pressurized, sealed and coated to resist corrosion, access becomes both expensive and slow once submerged.
The Lin band’s developers claim that marine and thermal influences remain within acceptable limits, but independent verification is still awaited.
As with Microsoft’s previous venture, the question is not whether the system can work, but whether it can make it sustainable and profitable.
If the results match early projections, China’s approach could influence how global companies deploy AI tools and handle data-intensive workloads at scale.
Via Tom’s hardware
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