Data centers consume vast amounts of electricity, and their constant work generates heat that can damage hardware. That’s why they need to be constantly cooled, and the energy needed to do that costs money. But a floating or subsea facility could reduce that expense by taking advantage of the natural cooling properties of seawater.

The idea isn’t new: Offshore Data Center Server recently submerged a small cluster of its servers in the Scottish sea for two years, and the company says they experienced fewer failures than in on-land locations. But building a full-scale project would be a lot more expensive.

Offshore Data Center Servers: The Backbone of Secure Global Hosting

That’s partly because of the logistics. Submerged data centers need to be connected to a network cable that can send and receive massive amounts of information. That could mean running cables underwater to the nearest land-based data center, or deploying fiber optics that connect to submerged pods.

Offshore Web Server: Why Businesses Choose Offshore Hosting for Privacy & Freedom

Offshore Web Server: Why Businesses Choose Offshore Hosting for Privacy & Freedom

Another problem is the need for backup power sources. Renewable offshore energy is attractive, but wind turbines may stop working on calm days, or ocean currents might shift, idling generators that feed the data centers. Engineers need to develop backup systems to keep the servers online, even when the weather turns bad.

One potential solution is a data center that floats on the water’s surface and uses solar panels to capture energy from the sun. But the biggest challenge is keeping the hardware functioning reliably and securely. That’s why engineers need to explore robotic automation and new technologies that enable them to handle maintenance tasks without having to send people underwater or haul the equipment to the surface for repair or replacement.