UK’s Most Energy-Efficient Supercomputer Boosts Clean Energy Research

A cutting-edge supercomputer, GW4 Isambard 3, has officially launched, promising to drive innovative scientific research in areas such as clean energy, wind farms, and fusion reactors. This £10 million system, developed by a collaboration of four universities – Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter – and partners Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), NVIDIA, and Arm, boasts over 55,000 cores and more than six times the computational performance and energy efficiency of its predecessor, Isambard 2.

The system is hosted at the National Composites Centre on the Bristol and Bath Science Park and features a high-performance storage system from HPE. Professor Simon McIntosh-Smith, Director of the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing, said the new supercomputer will take research to the next level, supporting global collaborations in areas like artificial intelligence and scientific simulations.

Next-Generation Supercomputing: GW4 Isambard 3 Goes Online

The launch of GW4 Isambard 3, a cutting-edge supercomputer service for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC), marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of innovative scientific research. This £10 million supercomputer, developed through a collaboration between the GW4 universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter, along with partners Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), NVIDIA, and Arm, is poised to drive groundbreaking discoveries across various fields.

Advanced Capabilities for Scientific Breakthroughs

Isambard 3 boasts an impressive array of novel technologies, including the new high-performance Arm Neoverse-based NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip. This cutting-edge system offers a production capacity of over 55,000 cores, delivering more than six times the computational performance and energy efficiency of its predecessor, Isambard 2. The supercomputer’s advanced capabilities will enable researchers to tackle complex scientific simulations, AI model training, and data-intensive workloads with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Sustainability at the Forefront

The GW4 Isambard 3 system is designed with sustainability in mind. By harnessing the power efficiency of the Arm Neoverse-based NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip, this supercomputer minimizes its environmental impact while delivering high-performance computing capabilities. This commitment to energy-efficient supercomputing aligns with the UK’s ambition to become a global leader in science and technology.

Accelerating Research and Innovation

The launch of Isambard 3 is expected to accelerate research and innovation across various disciplines, including sustainable net zero, green energy, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and scientific simulations. By providing researchers with access to this advanced HPC resource, the GW4 alliance aims to support collaborations between academic and industrial partners worldwide.

Collaborative Efforts for a Common Goal

The development of Isambard 3 is a testament to the power of collaborative efforts between academia and industry. The GW4 institutions, along with their partners, have worked together to create a supercomputer that will drive scientific breakthroughs and support the UK’s ambition to become a global leader in science and technology.

Quotes from Key Stakeholders

• Professor Simon McIntosh-Smith, Director of the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) at the University of Bristol, and Principle Investigator for the Isambard supercomputers: “With its advanced capabilities, Isambard 3 will take this research to the next level, supporting collaborations with our academic and industrial partners all over the world, and accelerating our understanding in areas such as artificial intelligence and scientific simulations.”
• Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Bristol and Chair of GW4 Council: “With Isambard 3 now officially online, we have a real opportunity to accelerate the UK’s role as a scientific superpower and provide researchers with access to a HPC resource which will enable world-leading, cutting-edge research.”
• Dr. Joanna Jenkinson, GW4 Alliance Director: “Building on the success of GW4 supercomputer Isambard, Isambard 3 is a product of collaboration between the GW4 institutions and our partners, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, NVIDIA, and Arm, and demonstrates the power of academic and industrial partnerships.”
• Matt Harris, SVP & Managing Director for UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa at HPE: “We are proud to see the GW4 Isambard 3 supercomputer go online, a testament to our commitment to advancing high-performance computing and artificial intelligence and supporting the UK’s ambition to be a global leader in science and technology.”
• John Josephakis, Global VP of Sales and Business Development for HPC and Supercomputing at NVIDIA: “Energy-efficient supercomputing is crucial for tackling global challenges while minimizing environmental impact. The GW4 group of universities’ Isambard 3 system, now powered by NVIDIA Grace, enables high-performance computing for complex scientific and research applications on one of the world’s most sustainable supercomputers.”
• David Lecomber, Director of HPC, Infrastructure Line of Business, Arm: “Isambard 3 will be enabling a new generation of groundbreaking research by the GW4 community into society’s most important challenges in areas such as healthcare and clean energy. Arm is proud to collaborate with GW4, NVIDIA, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise on Isambard 3, which will harness the performance and power efficiency of the Arm Neoverse-based NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip to drive important research advancements for the future of sustainable energy.”