Lowers costs and reduces overheating
GOOGLE IS REPORTEDLY examining the possibility of establishing multiple water-based data centres.
According to a patent application by Google, the "computing centres are located on a ship or ships, anchored in a water body from which energy from natural motion of the water may be captured, and turned into electricity and/or pumping power for cooling pumps to carry heat away."
The massive floatilla, slated to be anchored up to seven miles (11km) offshore, will also allow the Mountain View giant to avoid paying hefty property taxes.
Data centres use massive amounts of electricity to prevent overheating. The inefficient and costly facilities have forced a number of companies, including Mircrosoft and Sun, to seek a variety of unique alternatives.
For example, Microsoft has apparently considered establishing a data hub in the vast frozen tundras of the Siberan wilderness. Meanwhile, Sun Microsystems of Japan has formulated plans to relocate its computers to an abandoned coal mine where the company can also utilise readily available groundwater as an inexpensive coolant.