A British renewable energy company is developing a novel approach to address concerns over the environmental impact and land use of large artificial intelligence (AI) data centers by relocating server infrastructure offshore. Mocean Energy, headquartered in Edinburgh with additional operations in Aberdeen, Orkney, and the United States, is advancing a floating data center platform powered by solar and wave energy, designed to reduce the reliance on traditional power grids.
The company’s project, known as Blue Core, involves modular units that house racks of servers cooled naturally by the cold waters of the North Sea. These units can be linked together to form extensive server farms, with connectivity maintained via satellite communications. The concept seeks to alleviate the challenges posed by the increasing demand for energy-intensive AI data centers, which often face opposition due to their significant power consumption and land footprint.
Mocean Energy draws on experience from previous efforts, including Microsoft’s Project Natick, which demonstrated the feasibility of underwater data centers off the coast of the Orkney Islands between 2018 and 2020. Building on that foundation, Mocean developed a related technology called Blue Star, which harnesses renewable energy with battery support to supply offshore power. The company plans to commercially launch Blue Star in 2028.
Mocean Energy aims to operate a pilot version of the Blue Core floating data center in 2028, with the goal of full-scale deployment by 2030. The firm is currently seeking £5 million in funding to advance its development efforts, targeting a capacity of up to six gigawatts by 2040.
Cameron McNatt, managing director of Mocean Energy, emphasized the benefits of the offshore approach, stating that the technology has been tested in severe maritime conditions and that the ocean offers a reliable energy source to meet the growing power requirements of AI data infrastructure. He highlighted the project’s potential to overcome hurdles related to land acquisition, power supply, and social acceptance that often challenge terrestrial data centers.
Additionally, McNatt noted that establishing these server farms within national maritime boundaries could enhance sovereign infrastructure capabilities. By integrating renewable energy generation with server deployment at sea, Mocean Energy hopes to pioneer scalable, environmentally sustainable alternatives that address the expanding global demand for data processing capacity.