Microsoft piloted the idea of subsea data processing starting in 2014 with its “Project Natick” programme. Here, crews hoist a subsea capsule submerged near the island of Orkney for testing in 2018
The project involves the Lingang New Area Management Committee, Lingang Investment Holding Group, and Shanghai Hailan Cloud Technology Co., which will relocate its headquarters from Shenzhen to Lingang New Area and rebrand as HiCloud Technology. The initiative will proceed in two phases, starting with a 2.3MW pilot data center powered 97% by offshore wind energy. No specific timelines for completion were provided.
The concept draws on prior experiments, such as Microsoft’s Project Natick, which tested underwater data centers off California in 2015 and near Orkney, Scotland, in 2018. These trials demonstrated that submersion reduces cooling energy needs and enables placement near coastal cities while utilizing renewable energy sources like offshore wind.
At the project’s launch, HiCloud signed cooperation agreements with partners including Shenergy, Shanghai Telecom, CCCC Third Harbor Engineering, Biren Technology, and Linke Zhihua to support the development. Chen Jinshan, secretary of the Lingang New Area Party Working Committee and director of its management committee: “Gather cooperation forces, and jointly build an innovative development ecology.” The project aims to create a sustainable and innovative framework for data center operations.
This initiative supports the integration of renewable energy and advanced technology, positioning the Lingang New Area as a hub for sustainable digital infrastructure.
