IT at sea: Google to launch a computer navy (CNN) {wave-powered?}

[eppur_se_muova]

By Mike Steere
For CNN


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Forget the Royal Navy and the U.S. Marines -- the 'computer navy' is on its way, and digital media on the high seas are set to make a steaming comeback.
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According to a patent application seen by London newspaper "The Times," Google is considering launching barges up to seven miles (11km) offshore to host the massive data centers required to run its Internet search engines.

The plan would likely see the data centers -- which consist of huge supercomputers -- use wave energy to power and cool themselves while stationed at sea.

In the application Google states: "Computing centers 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."

Energy consumption is undoubtedly a massive issue for these giant data centers
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/09/18/computer.navy/index.html

Hmmm ... wonder if Google's looked at OTEC ? All that excess heat could be used to raise the thermal gradient, combining the power-generating and cooling functions.