Project Natick by Microsoft is the only experiment conducted so far regarding the underwater data center and its impact on the sea. The pod was located off the coast of Orkney for two years and the level of failure was 1/8th of what would have been seen in a similar data center on land.
What Has Been Measured?
According to Microsoft about underwater data centres, the heat dissipated rapidly underwater and the water returned was just a degree warmer than that of the sea. Whereas the noise made by the fan has been neutralized by the sounds of shrimp.
What Is Still Unclear?
One pod cannot be termed as a fleet. The effects of noise are not known in full. Any sizable project would require evaluation of heat and noise pollution according to international laws.
Why Was It Stopped?
Microsoft abandoned the project ( underwater data centres) in 2024 without developing the pods any further thus leading to limited understanding. The ocean is already warming up and marine heatwaves are causing disturbances to marine species which is why it’s important to scale and locate the projects successfully.
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