China Launches the World’s First Wind-Powered Underwater Data Center to Support AI Infrastructure Growth

China has launched the world’s first wind-powered underwater data center in Shanghai’s Lin-gang Special Area to address the surging power and cooling demands driven by the global AI boom.

With an investment of approximately US $226 million, the data center is engineered to deliver 24 megawatts of computing capacity, powered primarily by offshore wind energy.

As AI applications drive an unprecedented rise in compute intensity, traditional data centers are facing critical challenges related to energy efficiency, cooling costs, and land availability.

The initiative reflects China’s strategic effort to build sustainable, high-performance infrastructure for artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing workloads.

By locating the facility underwater, developers aim to leverage seawater for natural cooling, reducing reliance on energy-intensive air-conditioning systems.

Reports indicate that the submerged server modules can cut cooling energy consumption to less than 10 percent of total power use, achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness of 1.15 or lower, and save more than 90 percent of the land area required for conventional facilities.

Officials have framed the project as a model for the integration of renewable energy and advanced computing infrastructure, aligning with national carbon-reduction goals. The Lin-gang data center is now entering its first-stage of operational trials, with full capacity expected after subsequent construction phases.