Startup Takes Data Centers Underwater – But Is It Safe?
On August 15, NetworkOcean, fresh out of Y Combinator, announced plans to submerge a small capsule of GPU servers into the San Francisco Bay. They believe moving data centers offshore could help reduce energy use and even slow ocean warming by using seawater for cooling. Sounds cool, right? But scientists are worried – even minor heat or disruption could harm marine life or cause algae blooms. Here's the kicker: NetworkOcean hasn’t gotten any permits from regulators and plans to test for an hour in what they claim is private, unregulated water. Is this innovation or disaster waiting to happen?