November 14, 2007 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- A group of 11 high-tech firms from the US and Japan have announced plans to convert an abandoned mine in central Japan into a subterranean data center.
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One of the greatest advantages with this setup is that the new facility will save energy by using ground water to cool equipment and may cut power consumption by up to 50 percent by virtue of using the natural water cooling system. In one statement, the future facility is said to "make the utmost contribution to fighting global warming."
Sun Microsystems, one of the companies involved with the project, says the facility will be constructed 100 meters below the surface with an initial investment of 45 billion yen or USD $405 million.
Scheduled to start up in 2010, the facility is being built in the tunnels of a closed mine in Japan's central Chubu region and the site's temperature is stable at 59 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. As well as cutting down on energy consumption, underground mines have the added advantage for data centers of being easier to secure, particularly against terrorist attacks, say the companies.
