Posted on March 9, 2026
By Jowi Morales
San Francisco-based startup Aikido Technologies, which is focused on building offshore wind turbines, is experimenting with adding data centers to its power platforms. According to IEEE Spectrum, the company plans to launch a 100-kilowatt unit that combines a wind turbine with an AI server off the coast of Norway in the North Sea by the end of 2026. This move will address the power and space challenges many AI hyperscalers are facing right now, especially as many projects get mired in “not in my backyard” fights.
Aikido is using a semi-submersible design for its offshore wind turbines, similar to what many oil and gas companies use when drilling in high seas. This design comes with three ballast-filled legs, filled with fresh water to help maintain buoyancy and stay upright. From there, it’s secured to the seabed via chains and anchors, ensuring that it will remain in the general area, even as the wind and ocean batter it.
The firm says that it can add up to a 3- to 4-MW data hall in the upper part of each leg, meaning each wind turbine can potentially become a 9- to 12-MW data center. The fresh-water ballast is still stored in the lower part of each leg, which is then pumped towards the AI chips for cooling. The warm water is then pumped back into the ballast, with the chilly waters of the North Sea cooling it down. It also added an air-conditioner to manage the temperature of other components that aren’t part of the water-cooling loop.
