tech
Using the ocean to power data centers
Updated on: April 19, 2026 / 10:26 AM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- AI data centers consume significant power, increasing carbon pollution and electricity costs.
- Panthalassa's Ocean-3 uses wave energy to generate electricity and process AI tasks on floating, self-propelled units.
- These units function as data centers at sea, transmitting data via satellite, eliminating the need for anchors or cables to shore.
- The company has secured private funding and aims to deploy thousands of these systems offshore.
- Advantages include clean energy, no fuel, no land use, and rapid scalability to meet increasing AI demand.