Hua Bin
Aug 17, 2025
China has launched a submarine data center equivalent to 6 million computers
Back in May, I wrote about the Three-Body Computer Constellation – the world’s first space-based supercomputer network China launched. (https://huabinoliver.substack.com/p/three-body-computer-constellation )
The goal was to tap into celestial energy, physical space, and low temperature to manage issues related to power consumption, land use, and carbon emission from heat dissipation that face terrestrial networks.
Beijing is moving further in the direction of sustainable computing and just launched the world’s first underwater data center in Hainan, marking a revolutionary leap in computing power and sustainability.
The underwater facility, off the coast of Sanya City, leverages natural seawater cooling to drastically reduce energy consumption while delivering processing power equivalent to 6 million PCs.
It supports advanced AI applications, next-gen gaming, industrial simulations, and marine research — all powered beneath the ocean surface.
Unlike previous experimental projects, this is the first fully commercialized underwater data center, uniquely designed to withstand the warm and challenging marine conditions off China’s southern coast.
China’s submarine data center initiative marks a radical departure from conventional data storage facilities. Designed to compose of 100 blocks of data storage units, each unit weighs 1,300 tons and delivers processing power comparable to 60,000 PCs.
With all 100 units operational, the collective computing capability will match that of 6 million desktop computers working simultaneously.
This innovative approach to thermal management is expected to save approximately 122 million kilowatt-hours annually—roughly equivalent to the yearly energy consumption of 160,000 households.
Deploying data centers in marine environments presents formidable technical obstacles. Engineers must design structures capable of withstanding intense underwater pressure, saltwater corrosion, and potential seismic activity.
These facilities are built with a planned 25-year operational lifespan, requiring exceptional durability and resilience.
By utilizing natural cooling properties of seawater, these facilities significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with traditional data centers.
As digital information continues growing exponentially—particularly with artificial intelligence advancements—innovative storage solutions become increasingly vital. IDC predicts the global datasphere will reach 175 zettabytes by 2025—a fivefold increase from 2018. This staggering growth necessitates innovative approaches to data infrastructure.
This approach addresses the growing concern about information technology’s environmental impact while meeting escalating computing demands.
The emergence of China’s underwater data center represents more than technological achievement—it signals a fundamental shift in how we approach digital infrastructure challenges.
By thinking literally “outside the box” and venturing beneath the waves, engineers have created a solution that addresses multiple concerns simultaneously while potentially establishing a new paradigm for sustainable computing.
This bold innovation not only boosts China’s national computing goals but also sets a new global standard for green, high-performance digital infrastructure.
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