- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Floating Data Centers Use Ocean Waves to Power AI
Panthalassa's self-propelled, offshore data centers generate clean energy from the motion of the waves.
Apr. 19, 2026 at 1:35pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Panthalassa, a renewable energy company in Vancouver, Washington, has developed a novel solution to power the growing demand for energy-hungry AI data centers: floating, self-propelled data centers that generate electricity from ocean waves. These offshore 'Ocean-3' systems can produce clean power without the need for land, fuel, or cables, and Panthalassa plans to deploy thousands of them far out at sea to meet the surging demand for AI computing.
Why it matters
Data centers are a major contributor to global carbon emissions, and the proliferation of AI is driving an exponential increase in energy demands. Panthalassa's wave-powered, offshore data centers offer a scalable, sustainable alternative that can help address both the climate impact of data processing and the logistical challenges of siting traditional land-based data centers.
The details
Panthalassa's Ocean-3 design uses the up-and-down motion of waves to force water through a turbine, generating electricity. Unlike traditional offshore wave energy systems, the Ocean-3 is not tethered to the seafloor, instead using propulsion to move freely and position itself optimally. The self-contained data centers can process AI workloads on-site and transmit results via satellite, avoiding the need for power cables back to shore.
- Panthalassa expects the first Ocean-3 units to be operational by August 2026.
- The company plans to eventually deploy thousands of the floating data centers offshore.
The players
Panthalassa
A renewable energy company in Vancouver, Washington, that has developed a wave-powered, offshore data center system called Ocean-3.
Garth Sheldon-Coulson
The CEO and co-founder of Panthalassa, who is leading the development of the company's wave energy data center technology.
What they’re saying
“The ocean is really unlimited in terms of how much energy is available. It will really be the cheapest energy on the planet.”
— Garth Sheldon-Coulson, CEO and Co-founder, Panthalassa
“It is really exciting that we're working on something that is coming along right at the right time, in a way that's much cleaner, much more sustainable, and quite scalable, so that we can really meet that demand as it comes.”
— Garth Sheldon-Coulson, CEO and Co-founder, Panthalassa
What’s next
Panthalassa is currently constructing the first Ocean-3 units and expects them to be operational off the coast by August 2026. The company plans to rapidly scale up deployment of the floating data centers in the coming years to meet the growing demand for energy-efficient AI computing.
The takeaway
Panthalassa's wave-powered, offshore data centers offer a promising solution to the environmental challenges posed by the proliferation of energy-hungry AI systems. By harnessing the power of the ocean, these self-contained, mobile data centers can provide clean, scalable computing power without the land use, fuel consumption, and grid infrastructure required by traditional data centers.
