Welcome to a new feature exploring one of the most powerful and sustainable supercomputers on the planet. Nestled in the scenic region of Lugano, Switzerland, the Alps supercomputer redefines not only the boundaries of computational speed but also sets a new gold standard for environmentally conscious data centers.
Join us as we step inside this technological marvel and discover how it's helping scientists simulate global climate futures and stay cool while doing it.
A New Kind of Giant.
When we think of Lugano, we imagine serene lakes and picturesque Alpine views. Yet hidden within this tranquil landscape lies a silent giant: Alps, one of the world's fastest and most advanced supercomputers. Developed at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), Alps embodies the next generation of high-performance computing.|
To grasp its scale, imagine replacing your laptop with not just a few, but over 10,000 high-performance machines—each one vastly more capable than a typical consumer device. In fact, Alps operates using nearly 11,000 cutting-edge processors, making it a beast of computational power.
Power Meets Sustainability.
Immense computing power generates immense heat—but Alps tackles this challenge in a remarkable way. Rather than relying on conventional noisy fans and air-conditioned chillers, Alps turns to a timeless natural resource: glacial water from Lake Lugano. Here’s how it works:
- Water enters the facility at a chilly 7°C.
- It flows through heat exchangers, cooling the supercomputer's processors directly.
- The water exits back into the lake at 15–20°C, having absorbed the machine’s heat.
This ingenious system allows Alps to operate at 10 to 15 megawatts, with a potential peak capacity of 25 megawatts—all while minimizing its environmental footprint.
To mitigate risk, the facility is built on a raised floor with carefully segmented zones to contain water leaks, ensuring operational safety.
Inside the Machine: Engineering Precision.
Alps is composed of 2,688 high-density blades, each equipped with a combination of multi-core CPUs and powerful H100 GPUs. These components are liquid-cooled using direct-to-chip copper piping, ensuring thermal efficiency even under the most intense workloads.
Color-coded red and blue pipes distinguish hot and cold water flows, helping technicians maintain the system without error. Every element has been designed for both high performance and ease of maintenance.
Beyond Speed: Climate Simulations at Scale.
The power of Alps isn't just in raw data crunching—it’s in its global environmental impact. One of its primary missions is to simulate Earth’s changing climate with unprecedented resolution and accuracy.|
Using millions of grid points across the planet, Alps runs massive-scale simulations of environmental factors such as:
- Rising CO₂ levels
- Sea level rise
- Glacial retreat
- Extreme weather patterns
These models aren’t just theoretical. They help scientists forecast future scenarios by applying real-world data to simulate complex planetary reactions across 150 vertical atmospheric layers and countless spatial data points.
One striking example is the Versasca River valley, near the Contra Dam—a region known for record-breaking precipitation. Using Alps, researchers model how rainfall in such areas may evolve under changing climate conditions.
A Harmonious Future: Tech and Nature.
In a world overwhelmed by data and increasingly threatened by environmental crisis, Alps offers a bold vision: a future where technology and nature collaborate rather than compete.
With its sustainable infrastructure and scientific mission, Alps sets a new benchmark for supercomputers worldwide. It's not just about computing faster—it's about computing smarter and greener.
Watch the Full Feature.
🎥 Take a visual tour inside the Alps supercomputing facility in this official BBC News video:
If you’re fascinated by the intersection of high-tech innovation and ecological responsibility, Alps is proof that the future of computing can be both powerful and sustainable.
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