The new Data Centers are of interest near the sea

And the reason is very simple. Data Centers will increasingly be used for AI-related activities, and will therefore consume more energy, and a significant part of this energy could come from off-shore facilities located not far away.

According to the International Energy Agency, by 2026 it is estimated that the use of AI will generate energy needs 10 times greater than those we had in 2023. These are estimates, but they indicate very clearly where the trends are going.in energy needs.

And indeed, this growing energy demand is attracting the attention of the new Data Centers to the coasts, where they find a strategic ally: offshore wind energy.

Offshore wind energy offers a renewable, abundant and reliable energy source for Data Centers. Wind turbines installed offshore can generate large amounts of electricity, even in adverse weather conditions. In addition, the coastal location of the Data Centers facilitates direct connection to the electrical grid, minimizing transmission losses.

One of the biggest challenges for Data Centers is cooling. Powerful servers generate a large amount of heat, which must be dissipated to prevent overheating and system failures. Traditionally, this has been achieved through energy-intensive cooling systems. However, the sea offers a natural and efficient solution: cold water.

Locating a Data Center near the sea allows you to take advantage of the cold water to cool the servers. This significantly reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions, contributing to a more sustainable future for the technology industry.

There has been the case of a company (Microsoft) that installed an experimental Data Center in a container placed on the bottom of the sea, and after 2 years of operation they obtained much fewer failures than other installed Centers in mainland.

Large technology corporations with large Data Centers (Microsoft, Google, etc…) are among the largest buyers of renewable energy, and continue to sign agreements for the future supply of this type of energy, as they are committed to using only sustainable energy in the year 2030.

Proximity to the sea can offer new Data Centers more than just power and cooling. It opens the door to an innovation ecosystem in which technology and the maritime industry come together to create sustainable and efficient solutions.

For example, research and development of new offshore wind energy technologies can benefit from the infrastructure and computing resources installed in Data Centers. In turn, Data Centers can take advantage of advances in marine robotics and artificial intelligence to optimize their operations and reduce their environmental impact.

As demand for AI continues to grow, coastal Data Centers could become powerhouses of innovation, driving technological progress while protecting the environment. The future of Data Centers is blue, and the sea offers them the tools and environment to navigate towards a more sustainable and connected future.