Orkney

• In one sense, it lives “on the internet” or “in the cloud”, just like your favourite social media platform or the TV show you might stream tonight.
• But in a physical sense, it’s stored and transmitted somewhere in a network of thousands of data centres across the globe.
• In search of cost savings, greater sustainability and better service, data centre providers are looking to get their feet wet.

Which companies are doing this?

• The initial premise was that since many humans live near the coast, so should data centres.
• An initial experiment in 2015 saw a small-scale data centre deployed for three months in the Pacific Ocean.
• China’s Shenzhen HiCloud Data Center Technology Co Ltd has deployed centres in tropical waters off the coast of Hainan Island.

Why move data centres under the waves?

• According to the International Energy Agency, data centres consume around 1–1.5% of global electricity use, of which some 40% is used for cooling.
• When it was brought back to shore in 2020, the rate of server failures was less than 20% that of land-based data centres.
• Locating data centres close to where people live reduces the time taken for data to reach them, known as “latency”.
• 4) Increased security and data sovereignty Moving data centres into the ocean makes them physically more difficult for hackers or saboteurs to access.

What about the environmental impact?

• Microsoft’s experiments showed some localised warming, but “the water just metres downstream of a Natick vessel would get a few thousandths of a degree warmer at most”.
• If underwater data centres go ahead, robust planning will be needed to ensure their placement follows best practise considering cultural heritage and environmental values.
• There are also opportunities to enhance the environmental benefits of underwater data centres by incorporating nature-positive features in the design to enhance marine biodiversity around these structures.

What’s next?

• Several companies are actively exploring, or indeed constructing, underwater data centres.
• Add in the environmental and economic savings and this may well be the future of data centres for a significant proportion of the planet.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• LONDON, May 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seabourn , the leader in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, is looking forward to setting sail on its second expedition season in the Arctic.
• "Seabourn Venture is a beautiful ship that was purpose built to provide the ultimate expedition experiences and take our extraordinary guests to some of the most fascinating and remote destinations in the world," said Natalya Leahy, president of Seabourn.
• "The ship delighted our guests in her first year of service from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and we look forward to continuing to deliver unique 'Seabourn Moments' and an unparalleled luxury expedition that can only be experienced with Seabourn."
• From there, the ship will begin its second season in the Arctic with a series of 14- and 15-day voyages to Greenland and Iceland.

• LONDON, Jan. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Northern VoIP of the Orkney Islands, Scotland now offers customers in the UK and around the world an option to pay with Centric Swap ( CNS ).
• Through their VoIP Store , the company offers an extensive array of VoIP (Voice over IP) products from leading manufacturers.
• "Northern VoIP is excited to offer customers a Centric Swap payment option, plus a five percent discount on products and services purchased with CNS," said Johnson.
• Centric's Chief Operating Officer Tommy Butcher said, "Northern VoIP offers an impressive selection of VoIP products for customers in the UK and beyond.