Sustainable HPC project will reduce the carbon footprint of the Deucalion supercomputer

Supercomputers are systems with huge data processing capacity, capable of performing millions of billions of calculations per second and solving complex problems, in fields like engineering and science. However, this complex hardware requires specific facilities and cooling systems, using up significant amounts of power.

The Sustainable HPC project, designed by INESC TEC and INEGI, aims to develop an energy management solution that promotes the decarbonization of the system’s operation, including energy efficiency procedures. This solution will enable greener operation procedures for future advanced computing facilities and data centers.

The Deucalion supercomputer, to be installed in the Minho Advanced Computing Center, will act as the “living laboratory” for testing different energy conversion and storage technologies, as well as new developments in the management system, performed by a team of researchers. In addition to the technical feasibility, the economic feasibility and the impact of available technological alternatives will also be explored.

Signing of the Incentive Concession Contract at Ciência'21

The Sustainable HPC - Highly Sustainable Performance Computing project has a global budget of 7.3 million euros, financed by the Fundo de Apoio à Inovação (FAI) at 3.2 million euros, and the Fundo de Eficiência Energética (FEE) at 4.1 million euros.

The Incentive Concession Contract guaranteed by the Fundo de Apoio à Inovação (FAI) and the Fundo de Eficiência Energética (FEE) was signed on June 29, 2021, during the Plenary Session 4 - Science and the new challenges of space-climate interaction: from Earth observation to space weather – of the Ciência 2021, the annual meeting of science, technology and innovation in Portugal.