The world’s first wind-powered underwater data center, the Lingang undersea data center demonstration project, began full commercial operations off the coast of Shanghai on June 9, 2026.
The pioneering project, which integrates renewable energy and advanced cooling technologies, is a joint effort between Shanghai Hicloud Technology Co Ltd and the state-owned China Communications Construction, and cost of 1.6 billion yuan (222.7 million U.S. dollars). The data centre has a capacity of 24 megawatts, and is part of China’s efforts to address energy challenges posed by its AI boom.
The new data center is located 10km off the Shanghai coast and is submerged 10 meters underwater, where it draws power from a nearby offshore wind farm. The facility consumes less power than its land-based counterparts, due in part because it benefits from the natural cooling effect of seawater immersion, reducing overall energy demands.
China has prioritized AI as a key part of its economic and development strategy. In 2025, it unveiled an AI action plan that called for accelerating data center construction, as well as pledging to significantly increase clean energy supplies for AI infrastructure by 2030.
Addressing energy and water challenges
Traditional land-based data centers consume a lot of electricity for cooling systems to prevent overheating, contributing to high water consumption. Underwater data centers significantly reduce reliance on freshwater supplies.
The Lingang facility is expected to reduce overall energy usage by 30-40 percent, compared to conventional, land-based data centers. Refrigeration energy consumption will be drastically reduced —down to below 10 percent of total energy use, where it typically accounts for 40-50 percent of energy requirements of land-based data centers.
The UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health recently estimated that by 2030, data centers could consume up to 9.3 trillion liters of water—enough to meet annual domestic needs of all sub-Saharan Africa’s 1.3 billion people.
Chen Jinshan, the head of the administrative committee for the Lin-gang Special Area, stated that this model of UDCs is intended to set a new benchmark for green computing solutions.
The facility has been recognized by the National Development and Reform Commission as a national model of green, low-carbon innovation.
Minimal risks to marine ecosystems
While underwater data centers offer many benefits, they also could pose some risks to marine ecosystems, including sediment disturbance and heating seawater. However, scientists say these risks are manageable but will require monitoring. Prof Rick Stafford, a marine biologist at Bournemouth University in the UK, said that “while the cooling using seawater will result in some localized elevated temperatures, these will not be far reaching.”
Sources:
NewsBytes, June 09, 2026. https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/china-launches-world-s-1st-wind-powered-underwater-data-center/story
Beijing Post, June 9, 2026. https://beijingpost.com/launch-of-the-world-s-first-wind-powered-underwater-data-center-in-shanghai
