Advanced computing & network innovation
Energy-conscious computing
We strive for sustainable ICT solutions for scientific research by developing innovative methods for efficient energy use, especially at the application level.
Power consumption of our e-infrastructure
Global energy consumption by ICT contributes significantly to CO2 emissions, comparable to aviation. In the Netherlands, ICT at universities and universities of applied sciences accounts for approximately 20% of total power consumption. At SURF, more than 90% of the carbon footprint is caused by the power consumption of the e-infrastructure.
Our efforts are focused on reducing energy consumption at the application level. There are indications that significant energy savings (up to 10%) are possible.
Our main activities
- Detailed research into the characteristics of applications and their energy tuning behavior. Initial tests of the three most commonly used applications on the national supercomputer (accounting for a total workload of 30%) show promising results.
- Formulating and influencing policy for sustainability and green computing for digital infrastructures at SURF.
- Developing a platform to make users aware of energy consumption and make recommendations to reduce energy.
Collaborations
- Co-design of the EAR software, an energy management framework for HPC, in collaboration with Barcelona Supercomputing Center and hardware supplier Lenovo.
- We collaborate with Radboud University & IBM to investigate new AI / Neuromorphic architectures for energy-efficient computing.
- Involvement and participation with Amsterdam Economic Board for the development of a roadmap for green digital infrastructures in the Netherlands.
