China recently launched the world's first underwater data center powered by offshore wind. The cost of the project, off the coast of Shanghai, is less than half that of comparably sized data centers on land. Microsoft pioneered the underwater data center, but abandoned further efforts despite successful testing. Closing scene, Shanghai Resources and links: Interesting Engineering, China activates world’s first offshore wind-powered underwater data center https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-offshore-wind-data-center Microsoft confirms Project Natick underwater data center is no more https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/microsoft-confirms-project-natick-underwater-data-center-is-no-more/ Microsoft waves goodbye to underwater data centers https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/microsoft-waves-goodbye-to-underwater-data-centers China puts ‘world’s first’ offshore wind-powered underwater data center into operation https://www.offshore-energy.biz/china-puts-worlds-first-offshore-wind-powered-underwater-data-center-into-operation/ China launches 'world's first' underwater data center powered by offshore wind energy. https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20260519-undersea-data-center-china Microsoft's underwater datacenter thrives in the depths of the Scottish sea https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-undersea-datacenter Off the coast of Shanghai's Lingang Special Area, a newly operational platform now hosts the world's first commercial underwater data center https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1543813920507409 China deploys 1,400-ton commercial underwater data center https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/china-deploys-1400-ton-commercial-underwater-data-center/ What Does It Cost to Build a Modern Data Center in 2026? https://www.constructelements.com/post/cost-to-build-modern-data-center-2026 America’s AI Build-Out Hinges on Chinese Electrical Parts https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-04-01/us-ai-data-center-expansion-relies-on-chinese-electrical-equipment-imports Microsoft's AI Strategy Deconstructed - From Energy to Tokens https://newsletter.semianalysis.com/p/microsofts-ai-strategy-deconstructed Why are communities pushing back against data centers? https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/04/why-are-communities-pushing-back-against-data-centers/ New data reveals at least 48 data center projects were blocked or stalled by local opposition in 2025 https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/data-center-opposition-local-resistance-construction-challenges/ Anti-data center measures gain traction at state, local level https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5843665-data-center-backlash-grows/ EIA: Electricity prices to rise faster than inflation through 2026 https://www.americanexperiment.org/eia-electricity-prices-to-rise-faster-than-inflation-through-2026/ Why is China's electricity so cheap? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FM933MTnPs Trump suspends all large offshore wind farms under construction, threatening thousands of jobs and cheaper energy https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/22/climate/trump-offshore-wind-suspension-virginia Trump administration cancels $679 million for offshore wind projects https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/29/trump-administration-cancels-679-million-for-offshore-wind-projects.html Microsoft Pulls Back on Data Centers From Chicago to Jakarta https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-03/microsoft-pulls-back-on-data-centers-from-chicago-to-jakarta Microsoft's AI Strategy Deconstructed - From Energy to Tokens https://newsletter.semianalysis.com/p/microsofts-ai-strategy-deconstructed
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BBC:"China is boiling our ocean, we must stop them!!!"
Planning ahead. An amazing concept indeed
The west is eating itself while China forged ahead. I’m so tired of our so called leaders
Since electrical equipment is a bottle neck, under water data centers make even more sense since they use 30% less power per computation ( more effcient cooling)
“Overcapacity” “Over Innovation” “Over and Out” Job done.
In water next to a turbine is a nice idea, no transmission losses, no cooling costs.
usa will do it too... in 50 or so years after civil war over energy.
"Looking for Data center specialist - must have Scuba diving certificate"
Data centers require power. The country with the most power today and tomorrow has already won the AI War.
Innovative Chinese tech searching for the best solution to all issues as always.
In the water, China goes foward, again.
Brilliant idea China building data centers under the sea. Its a much bettwr idea than Elon Musk building ai data centwr in space which i think is stupid.
I should have moved to China, they think of solutions, we don't think.
To support our channel financially, and access full reports and archives, please visit our Substack at /pub/kdwalmsley/p/china-builds-underwater-ai-data-centers?r=4pow86 Please write to me at kdwamsley for China product and factory sourcing Closing scene, Shanghai Resources and links: Interesting Engineering, China activates world’s first offshore wind-powered underwater data center /innovation/china-offshore-wind-data-center Microsoft confirms Project Natick underwater data center is no more /en/news/microsoft-confirms-project-natick-underwater-data-center-is-no-more/ Microsoft waves goodbye to underwater data centers /microsoft/microsoft-waves-goodbye-to-underwater-data-centers China puts ‘world’s first’ offshore wind-powered underwater data center into operation /china-puts-worlds-first-offshore-wind-powered-underwater-data-center-into-operation/ China launches 'world's first' underwater data center powered by offshore wind energy. /gsc_news/en/20260519-undersea-data-center-china Microsoft's underwater datacenter thrives in the depths of the Scottish sea /microsoft-undersea-datacenter Off the coast of Shanghai's Lingang Special Area, a newly operational platform now hosts the world's first commercial underwater data center /watch/?v=1543813920507409 China deploys 1,400-ton commercial underwater data center /en/news/china-deploys-1400-ton-commercial-underwater-data-center/ What Does It Cost to Build a Modern Data Center in 2026? /post/cost-to-build-modern-data-center-2026 America’s AI Build-Out Hinges on Chinese Electrical Parts /news/features/2026-04-01/us-ai-data-center-expansion-relies-on-chinese-electrical-equipment-imports Microsoft's AI Strategy Deconstructed - From Energy to Tokens /p/microsofts-ai-strategy-deconstructed Why are communities pushing back against data centers? /gazette/story/2026/04/why-are-communities-pushing-back-against-data-centers/ New data reveals at least 48 data center projects were blocked or stalled by local opposition in 2025 /green-business/data-center-opposition-local-resistance-construction-challenges/ Anti-data center measures gain traction at state, local level /policy/technology/5843665-data-center-backlash-grows/ EIA: Electricity prices to rise faster than inflation through 2026 /eia-electricity-prices-to-rise-faster-than-inflation-through-2026/ Why is China's electricity so cheap? /watch?v=2FM933MTnPs Trump suspends all large offshore wind farms under construction, threatening thousands of jobs and cheaper energy /2025/12/22/climate/trump-offshore-wind-suspension-virginia Trump administration cancels $679 million for offshore wind projects /2025/08/29/trump-administration-cancels-679-million-for-offshore-wind-projects.html Microsoft Pulls Back on Data Centers From Chicago to Jakarta /news/articles/2025-04-03/microsoft-pulls-back-on-data-centers-from-chicago-to-jakarta Microsoft's AI Strategy Deconstructed - From Energy to Tokens /p/microsofts-ai-strategy-deconstructed
Nice! Getting the power from nearby wind farms mitigates the cost of grid connections and the cost of HV power transformers (which are needed for the grid power).
Once again, the United States has gone stupid since 2016. Wonder what happened.
What a great idea the Chinese has it on a AI centre & done it at 1/2 the cost to build it compared to the US. Again they win. 😅
You show that China is the future. Europe and USA almost 10 years after in everything.
Chinese AI data centres are getting more economical to operate while those in the US are becoming more unsustainable due to extremely high costs.
This AI boom in the world looks more and more like a scam to me, the power shortages seem cannot be solved quickly with power demands by the data centers it builds, and the money it spends look disproportionately to the revenues it generates. I think China being much cheaper in data centers cost will have a better chance of success.