The Trump administration wants underwater datacenters. One Great Lakes non-profit is already preparing
Tech companies like the idea, as they largely eliminate community opposition, and could cut down on utility costs While Elon Musk has often touted putting datacenters in space, reports suggest that another geographic area may soon become a widespread target: our lakes and oceans . Two underwater datacenters are already in operation off the coast of China, and recent reports suggest that the Trump…
The Trump administration is exploring the possibility of building underwater datacenters off the coasts of Maine and Alaska, a move that has caught the attention of tech companies and raised concerns among environmental activists. These underwater datacenters could eliminate community opposition and cut down on utility costs, making them an attractive option for the tech industry.
However, the environmental consequences of such projects in freshwater Great Lakes, which millions of people rely on for drinking water, could be significant. Local environmental activists are worried about the high stakes of any such project, citing the potential for heat-related issues like harmful algal blooms and the risk of contamination and leaks.
John Lipaj of the Lake Erie Foundation, a non-profit based in Ohio, expressed concern about the types of fluids contained in datacenters and the potential for catastrophic failures in the sensitive ecosystem. Despite the challenges, some experts believe that underwater datacenters could offer advantages such as low cooling costs and reduced latency, making them a viable alternative to on-land datacenters.
Nevertheless, the Great Lakes' delicate balance must be carefully considered before moving forward with any underwater datacenter projects.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
