Google Eyes Offshore, Wave-Powered Data Centers

September 9, 2008

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Google data centers may someday float on the ocean. The search giant recently filed a patent for a “water-based data center,” which uses ocean surface waves to power and cool the facility. The patent also confirms Google’s development of “crane-removable modules,” a container-based data center, writes Rich Miller on Data Center Knowledge.

According to the patent, these floating data centers will be located 3 to 7 miles off-shore and reside in 50 to 70 meters of water. The data centers will incorporate Pelamis Wave Energy Converter units that can turn ocean surface waves into electricity and can be combined to form “wave farms.”

“If perfected, this approach could be used to build 40 megawatt data centers that don’t require real estate or property taxes,” writes Miller. But he questions which laws would govern the consumer data managed from the offshore location.

Back in January, according to Miller, International Data Security (IDS) said it was planning to build up to 50 data centers on cargo ships moored at piers, with data center space below-deck and container-based data centers being housed above deck.

In August, IBM announced it’s planning to build a $360 million data center. Although it will not be floating in the sea, the data center will also take a modular approach to construction, which the company says can defer significant capital costs and slash energy use by 50 percent.

Sun has also been working in the modular data center space. It has launched Project BlackBox, an energy efficient modular data center with eight racks in a shipping container.

click to enlarge

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Stay competitive through sustainability.

Find out how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Best Practices: Product Environmental Compliance

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

This is a wonderful approach. Leave it to Google to venture in. They don’t have the same paradigms that “traditional” ebergy companies have and it shows in the innovation!

David Miller | September 10th, 2008

That seems really dangerous even though it is a wonderful idea by google. It is great to see that they are constantly innovating to make Google a greener company, while still saving money.

pays to live green | October 15th, 2008

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/24/2009
11/23/2009
11/20/2009

Charts [ see all ]

Government Intervention Required to Drive “Green” Technology

62% of Firms Assign Environmental Team for Green Goals

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Jetset1 on Energy-Savings Claims Don’t Add Up for Microsoft’s Windows 7
"This article is wrong. If your PC is less than a few years old,..."

Iain on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"Now if only their food was healthy and nutritious."

Phil on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"After reading all the comments it seems obvious, to me, that the individuals populating..."

Marc Hudson on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"where will the stone be mined from- under what labor rights conditions? Will the..."

Clyde on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"This just shows all the Global Warming freaks out there are a bunch of criminals cut from..."

Car Rental Singapore on News Corp. Taps Hara for Energy Efficiency, Environmental Management
"Energy reduction is a good thing. We need to save the..."

Meme Mine on WWF, WRI Make Last-Minute Pitches on Climate Change
"To the voting public, what the scientists say is irrelevant anymore for if you read..."

Environmental Leader