China completes world's first wind-powered underwater data center

China has completed the world’s first wind-powered underwater data center (UDC) in the Lin-gang Special Area of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, marking a significant advancement in sustainable digital infrastructure. The USD 226 million facility has a power capacity of 24 megawatts, with approximately 97% of its electricity sourced from offshore wind energy. It utilizes seawater cooling through 198 radiator-equipped racks, drastically reducing energy consumption for cooling to below 10%, compared to up to 40% in traditional land-based data centers. This innovative approach cuts overall power consumption by nearly 23%, eliminates water use, and reduces land requirements by over 90%. The data center achieved a power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratio below 1.15, surpassing China’s national green data center target of 1.25 for 2025, making it one of the most energy-efficient data centers globally. The project aligns with Shanghai’s broader ambition to become a global hub for smart computing and