Iron Mountain data center will be powered by SeaQurent underwater kites

Iron Mountain Data Centers (IMDC) has teamed up with SeaQurrent to power its data centers from tidal power plants (TPPs). According to Datacenter Dynamics, SeaQuurrent is developing highly efficient and environmentally friendly solar power plants with a base power of 500 kW, which can be combined into multi-megawatt clusters. Cooperation with Iron Mountain will allow SeaQurent to scale its TPPs.

The SeaQuurrent RPV includes a “kite”, which is a hydrodynamic wing, a turbine and a platform attached to the bottom. A flow of water is used to lift the wing. The structure moves along a stable figure-of-eight trajectory and is controlled by a remote monitoring and control system that autonomously controls the entire process. The traction force created by the wing sets in motion the biodegradable working fluid, which, in turn, ensures the rotational movement of the generator turbine.

Image source: SeaQurent

Iron Mountain sees the decision as part of a broader project to transition to providing data centers exclusively with “clean” energy 24/7 by 2040. Due to their predictable energy output, tidal power plants are better suited to power data centers. However, Iron Mountain does not refuse other “green” sources. In June, an agreement was concluded for the supply of solar energy with InRange to offset the consumption of the LON-1 data center. In April 2023, a PPA was signed with the Dutch energy company Sunrock.

Image source: SeaQurent

Geothermal energy sources, which many data center operators use or plan to use, are also quite stable. For example, in the summer it was reported that Google had signed an agreement with NV Energy to use geothermal energy to power its data centers in Nevada. And Meta✴ intends to supply its data centers in the United States with energy from petrothermal sources.