Oregon-based startup Panthalassa has raised $140 million in a Series B round backed by Peter Thiel and Marc Benioff to develop floating data centers powered by ocean wave energy. Each node is nearly 300 feet long, generates electricity from wave motion, uses seawater for cooling, and connects via SpaceX's Starlink satellite network. The company validated the concept with a 2024 trial off Washington state and is targeting commercial deployment in 2027. Key challenges include lower satellite bandwidth compared to fiber, which may limit heavy AI workloads. The approach is positioned as a more viable alternative to orbital data centers, aiming to address the growing energy demands of AI infrastructure.
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