Underwater data centers: a look into the future

Underwater data centers represent a key initiative in the search for higher energy efficiencies and sustainability for these facilities.

While the idea of an undersea data center is now gaining traction, it was in 2015, when Microsoft managed its first large-scale model for such a system, Project Natick. 

At the center of efforts to launch underwater data centers is energy efficiency and data center cooling innovation. Energy use by data centers is growing to become a global concern. In fact, the IEA has already warned how electricity consumption from data centers could escalate dramatically in the next two years, growing from an estimated 460 TWh in 2022 to more than 1000 TWh in 2026.

Consequently, multiple innovation initiatives are focusing on how to ensure data centers continue aligning with global demand while restricting their energy use. With cooling accounting for 25 - 40% of energy use in this type of installation, the focus on advancing data center cooling is fundamental.

In this search, liquids and water are already playing a vital role. Measures such as two-phase immersion cooling for servers are providing significant advancements in data center cooling. 

It’s precisely in this context where underwater data centers must be understood. While seawater cooling systems have already been implemented in district cooling initiatives, the present moment represents a promising time for a number of initiatives looking to harness the full potential of the underwater server and data center.

What are underwater data centers?

The term underwater data center refers to a type of facility where data storage and processing equipment are submerged in water bodies. 

As such, the premise behind underwater data centers is the possibility of taking advantage of the natural cooling properties of water to enhance energy efficiency and reduce the center’s environmental impact. 

The first experiment with an undersea data center was conducted by Microsoft in the California shore in 2015, in an innovation initiative as the company was looking for the best alternative to data center cooling. A subsequent and larger in size initiative then took place in 2018 off the Scottish shore.

Since then, enthusiasm around underwater data centers has grown, building on the positive outcomes reported by additional companies that have embarked on this approach. 

Advantages of underwater data centers

• Natural, renewable and virtually limitless supply of water for cooling, without the need for extracting water resources (as opposed to land-based data centers), with great WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness).
• Significant reduction in electricity consumption, as cooling needs are minimized.
• Easy access to sustainable energy sources, including wind, tidal, wave and solar plants, thus paving the way for a green data center.
• Efficiency granted by the outstanding thermal conductivity of water. 
• Possibility of installation next to population hubs and cities, allowing for lower latencies and greater speeds.
• Potential for better reliability, less corrosion and longer lifespans thanks to minimizing human errors and the use of specialized techniques to preserve equipment and remove damaging agents. In fact, in their 2018 experiment, Microsoft claimed server failure in their undersea data center was better than average when compared to land-based servers.
• Can benefit from applying a modular approach.
• Minimizes possibilities for sabotaging arising from physical access to the data center.
• Benefits from a lower price in offshore land.

Technological innovations in underwater data centers

Cutting-edge technology in undersea Data Centers

A look at the specific technologies involved in underwater data centers proves state-of-the-art efforts are being implemented in various areas, including:

• Advanced immersion cooling technology, with the aim of promoting heat dissipation while minimizing energy consumption.
• Innovative modular designs so that underwater data centers can be deployed and scaled as needed.
• Developments in watertight, pressure-resistant enclosures that also maximize space savings.
• Pioneering integration of renewable energy sources.
• Sensor technologies to monitor environmental conditions, equipment performance, and any potential issues in real time.
• Developments in durable materials and systems to reduce maintenance needs.
• Systems for autonomous operation.
• Measures for security from both a physical and digital perspective.
• The use of advanced underwater fiber optic cables that facilitate connection to terrestrial networks, with high-speed and reliable data transmission.
• Guarantee redundancy.
• Technologies to ensure a minimal physical and ecological footprint on the ocean floor.

Design and deployment challenges

• Accessibility for maintenance purposes must be addressed and considered, including the possibility for automated or robotic maintenance. As an example, today and according to data shared by Subsea Cloud, units can be retrieved in a maximum of 2 hours should physical maintenance be required in one of their installations.
• Guarantees for reliable, continuous access to renewable sources of energy must be enforced.
• Solutions to tackle potential marine heat waves, including sensors and backup cooling systems.
• Assessment of environmental impacts on surrounding organisms and marine ecosystems.
• Taking potential seismic activity into account.
• Addressing potential service disruption attacks through sound waves or other advanced techniques.
• Compliance with local and international regulations referring to underwater installations, data centers and environmental protection must be ensured.
  
  

Environmental and economic impact

Sustainability and environmental benefits

As we’ve mentioned above, underwater data centers stand out for their capacity to access a reliable and sustainable cooling liquid: water in the sea and other similar environments.

With the pressing need to address data center cooling to minimize these facilities environmental impact, the underwater data center emerges as a key innovation that’s being considered in the industry.

It’s worth noting, however, that these systems’ impact on their immediate environments is still among the unknown variables surrounding this model, as, at present, not enough projects have been developed to precisely assess their influence.

Economic viability and cost efficiency

The economic viability of underwater data centers has also been attracting attention since the first deployment of this type of project.

Thanks to the innovative approach to cooling that this model presents, underwater data centers are able to reduce power bills directly linked to cooling. Additionally, based on data that’s publicly available, this model is also subject to less hardware failures than land-based premises, reducing downtime and its detrimental economic effects.

Furthermore, the adoption of modular designs and the focus on ensuring reliability and decreasing maintenance needs also speak in favor of the economic viability of such projects.

In this context, it’s also important to mention the lack of sufficient implementations represents a limitation in understanding cost-efficiency for these initiatives. However, the emergence of additional companies opting for the undersea model bears witness of the industry’s interest in evaluating this as a viable option. 

In fact, today, companies that are offering the implementation of underwater data centers have opted for very different models and technologies, as well as diverse environmental conditions in which to position their facilities. This is further proof of the opportunity that the undersea data center model represents, as it becomes a key fertile ground for breakthrough innovation.

As the environmental, technical and economic aspects of underwater data centers continue being experimented with, there’s room for significant opportunities and innovation for this new data center paradigm.

This is where, at ARANER, we believe lies the great potential for the undersea data center model. Building from our thermal engineering expertise and responsible for developing cutting-edge cooling solutions, we’re excited to be part of the technological innovations taking data center cooling to the next level. 

As such, we offer state-of-the-art engineering and guidance to the companies looking to advance their data center cooling system and eager to implement innovative solutions such as liquid immersion cooling or underwater location.

We understand each project’s needs require a different approach, which is the reason why we implement ad hoc design into each of our initiatives.

Interested in learning more about current innovation opportunities in data center cooling and each system’s environmental and economic viability? Think underwater data centers might be a good fit for your project? Get in touch with us and discover our data center cooling technology.