Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) and Stratum Holdings have signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) to explore the development of offshore data center assets powered by wave, wind and solar energy, combining renewable power platforms with high-performance computing infrastructure.
The proposed collaboration would integrate OPT's PowerBuoy technology with Stratum's GPU infrastructure, including its latest-generation NVIDIA B300 GPUs, to test the feasibility of running edge AI inference and related computing workloads offshore without a power connection to shore.
Under the LOI, the companies would negotiate definitive agreements under which OPT would grant Stratum a limited, non-exclusive license to certain PowerBuoy patents and provide prototype platforms currently on hand.
Stratum would contribute GPU assets and integration expertise, as well as pay OPT a monthly retainer under the terms of the definitive agreements.
The proposed demonstration program would focus on system integration, performance validation and data collection to assess whether onboard renewable generation can support offshore computing operations.
OPT's PowerBuoy platforms are designed to provide persistent renewable power and real-time communications in remote marine environments. The company holds more than 60 issued patents worldwide covering the technology, including more than 15 in the United States.
The companies also intend to examine whether deploying the systems in cooler ocean regions could reduce the energy required for data center cooling, although the potential benefits have yet to be demonstrated.
“This proposed strategic collaboration aligns with OPT’s mission to deliver persistent renewable power and technology integration for critical offshore applications.
“By combining our patented PowerBuoy technology with Stratum’s GPU assets, we aim to demonstrate a practical path toward self-powered edge AI infrastructure that operates independently of shore-based power,” said Tracy Pagliara, Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of OPT.
Results from the proposed demonstration could inform potential commercial applications in maritime domain awareness, offshore energy monitoring, scientific sensing and other remote computing operations.
The collaboration remains subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements, with the initial efforts expected to focus on demonstrating the technical feasibility of the proposed offshore computing systems.