What the development involves
Microsoft has operated two-phase immersion cooling in a tank in Quincy in the US (Microsoft, April 6, 2021). When the fluid boils, it absorbs a large amount of heat, which makes the technology suitable for very dense servers.
What benefits are documented
In 2021, Microsoft reported 5–15% lower power consumption per server. The result applies to a single small-scale tank.
What it could mean in Sweden
3M ended its PFAS manufacturing at the end of 2025, and alternative fluids have not yet been proven at scale (Digital Infrastructure Institute). For Swedish projects, relevance is therefore low, and the risk of locking into a fluid with an uncertain future is significant.
What needs to be investigated
How PFAS regulation develops in the EU. Whether alternative fluids prove to work at larger scale. Until then, we are monitoring the technology without building it into our concepts.
