Google logs 'floating data centre' patent

Google has submitted a patent application for data centres located on a ship

Google has submitted a patent application for 'floating data centres' powered in part by wave power.

The patent application envisages huge floating data centres situated off the coast of major population centres using renewable wave power to generate electricity. The cold sea water could also be used to cool the hardware.

'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 patent reads.

The powering and cooling of data centres is becoming an increasing problem and the situation is only getting worse, according to analysts.

Microsoft is reportedly looking into building data centres in cold climates like Russia, and Iceland is making a major play for the market touting its abundant cheap power and cold climate.

However, there are significant hurdles to be overcome before floating data centres will become viable.

It is unlikely that wave power alone, based on current technology, could power a large data centre, for example, and data transmission to shore would also be a problem.

The data centres themselves would also have to be mobile to avoid bad weather, such as Hurricane Ike which recently ravaged large parts of the Gulf Coast.