Islands in the Net
CNN.com
According to a patent application seen by London newspaper “The Times,” Google is considering launching barges up to seven miles (11km) offshore to host the massive data centers required to run its Internet search engines.The plan would likely see the data centers — which consist of huge supercomputers — use wave energy to power and cool themselves while stationed at sea.
This is right out of cyberpunk. Pretty cool.
Looking back in the past, using the 11 mile zone from shore, looks more like wanting to become independent from local legal regulations than an energy saving issue. (This maybe easier and cheaper than fighting the local legislations)
In the 1960’s radio Veronica was covering the Netherlands audience and territory from a ship outside the 11 mile zone. This way radio Veronica, was legally outside the Dutch territory and could broadcast on certain airwaves frequencies without violation of the Dutch legislation.