Ocean Power Technologies and Stratum Holdings Explore Offshore Wave- and Solar-Powered Data Center Demonstration

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) and Stratum Holdings have signed a non-binding letter of intent to explore offshore data center systems powered by renewable energy.

The proposed collaboration would combine OPT’s PowerBuoy technology with Stratum’s graphics processing unit (GPU) infrastructure to assess whether artificial intelligence workloads can be processed offshore without relying on a power connection to land.

Renewable Energy Feasibility for Marine Edge AI Computing

Announced on October 26, 2026, the initiative would investigate the use of wave, wind, and solar energy to support edge AI computing in marine environments.

The companies plan to evaluate the technical feasibility of integrating renewable power generation with high-performance computing equipment.

PowerBuoy Platforms to Support Offshore AI Computing

Under the proposed arrangement, OPT would provide access to selected patents covering its PowerBuoy technology through a limited, non-exclusive license. It would also make certain existing prototype PowerBuoy units available for the demonstration.

PowerBuoy platforms are designed to generate renewable energy from ocean waves and provide power and communications for remote maritime operations. OPT holds more than 60 issued patents worldwide related to the technology, including more than 15 in the United States.

The patents cover areas such as buoy architecture, energy conversion, control systems, mooring, anchoring, and communications.

The proposed demonstration would explore how these platforms could support offshore computing equipment using electricity generated primarily from onboard renewable sources. This approach could provide computing capabilities in remote marine locations where conventional grid connections are unavailable or difficult to establish.

Stratum to Provide NVIDIA GPU Infrastructure

Stratum Holdings would contribute GPU hardware, including NVIDIA B300 GPUs, together with the technical expertise required to integrate the computing equipment with OPT’s offshore platforms.

The initial work would focus on system integration, performance testing, and collecting operational data from demonstration deployments. These activities are intended to determine whether edge AI inference and related workloads can operate reliably using the proposed offshore infrastructure.

Under the framework outlined in the letter of intent, Stratum would also pay OPT a monthly retainer. The payment terms and other arrangements remain subject to definitive agreements that the companies have yet to negotiate.

Offshore Deployment Could Address Data Center Cooling Needs

The companies also intend to examine whether locating computing systems in cooler ocean regions could reduce the electricity required for cooling. Thermal management is an important consideration for data centers running high-density AI workloads, which can require substantial cooling infrastructure.

An offshore configuration could potentially combine renewable power generation with the marine environment's cooling characteristics. However, the companies have not yet demonstrated these benefits, and the proposed program would assess their technical feasibility.

The outcome would help establish whether offshore platforms could offer a practical option for powering and operating computing equipment in remote locations.

Potential Uses in Maritime and Offshore Operations

If the demonstration proves technically viable, its findings could support the development of offshore edge computing applications across several industries.

Potential applications identified by the companies include maritime domain awareness, offshore energy monitoring, scientific sensing, and other remote computing operations. Processing information closer to where it is collected could also reduce the need to transmit large volumes of data to onshore facilities.

The companies have not disclosed the proposed demonstration’s location, computing capacity, or deployment schedule. No commercial-scale offshore data center deployment has been confirmed under the letter of intent.

Collaboration Awaits Definitive Agreements

The proposed collaboration would allow OPT to explore additional applications for its PowerBuoy platforms while giving Stratum an opportunity to evaluate renewable-powered environments for its GPU infrastructure.

Tracy Pagliara, Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Power Technologies, said the initiative aligns with the company’s focus on renewable power and technology integration for offshore applications.

Nicholas H. Adler, Chief Executive Officer of Stratum Holdings, said the collaboration would enable the companies to explore offshore platforms for edge AI inference, including the potential benefits of local data processing and the marine environment.

The next steps would involve negotiating definitive agreements and undertaking the proposed integration and validation work. As the letter of intent is non-binding, the collaboration remains at the exploratory stage, with implementation dependent on the parties finalizing their arrangements and validating the technology.