Offshore Wave‑ and Wind‑Powered Data Centers Target Greener AI Computing

Panthalassa, a Pacific Northwest company, has built floating platforms that generate electricity from ocean waves and use seawater for cooling. The Ocean‑2 prototype, anchored off Washington state since 2025, can produce up to one megawatt and transmits data via satellite. A larger commercial unit is planned for 2027 and will be assembled in the United States.

In China, HiCloud Technology and China Communications Construction launched the Shanghai Lingang underwater data centre in May 2026. The facility sits 10 metres below the sea 10 miles off Shanghai and is powered primarily by an offshore wind farm, delivering 24 MW of green electricity. Submersion provides natural cooling, reducing the data centre’s water use and overall energy consumption compared with land‑based sites.