China’s Beijing Highlander Digital Technology Company has marked a significant achievement in commercial underwater data center development by successfully installing a core data module weighing an impressive 1,300 metric tons on the seabed off Hainan Island. This milestone represents a crucial step forward in underwater data center technology.

China Central Television reported that the newly installed module boasts a remarkable processing capability, capable of handling over 4 million high-definition images in just 30 seconds. This capacity is equivalent to the collective output of 60,000 traditional computers operating simultaneously.

Contrary to conventional inland data centers, UDCs leverage the benefits of being submerged in seawater just off Lingshui Li autonomous county, Hainan province. The UDC utilizes ambient water as a natural cooling source, resulting in more than a 30% reduction in energy costs compared to traditional data centers. This innovative approach eliminates the need for water preparation for cooling, saving approximately 30,000 cubic meters of water per megawatt annually. Once fully operational, the underwater data center is anticipated to free up an impressive 68,000 square meters of land, equivalent to nearly 10 standard soccer fields. Additionally, it is expected to save 122 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 105,000 tons of freshwater annually.

The module, positioned more than 30 meters underwater, is designed to operate for 25 years. Addressing concerns about vulnerability to natural disasters such as typhoons, prior data modules deployed in the same location demonstrated normal and stable performance during Typhoon Talim in July.

Highlander is one of China’s 10,000 “little giants” projects, a state-backed ambitious plan to invigorate small and medium-sized enterprises between 2021 and 2025. The undersea data project has garnered support from several companies, including China Telecom.