Submer uses a non-flammable synthetic liquid that looks like baby oil. — Submer
When Daniel Pope first floated the idea of submerging servers in liquid as an energy-efficient way to cool them a few years ago, his proposal was met with overwhelming scepticism from data centre equipment makers. But now, Pope’s startup – Barcelona-based Submer – is a multimillion-dollar business, teaming up with technology giants such as Intel Corp and Dell Technologies Inc.
The change in attitude reflects a pressing challenge: figuring out how to run data centres with less energy. The facilities, which support digital services ranging from TikTok to ChatGPT and Google Maps, last year consumed more electricity than Poland, Belgium and Norway combined, according to an April report by the International Energy Agency.
