Switzerland recently unveiled its new supercomputer, ‘Alps’, which is one of the most powerful machines of its kind in the world. In the global supercomputer rankings published by Top 500 in June, ‘Alps’ came in at number six behind machines from the United States and Japan. However, staff at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre in Lugano (CSCS) believe that ‘Alps’ could rank even higher today as it wasn’t completed when the rankings were put together. The focus of ‘Alps’ will be on scientific research, with a particular emphasis on solving complex calculations in the fields of medicine, space research, and climatology. It is already being used by Switzerland’s federal weather bureau to provide up-to-date mapping of weather systems.
The director of CSCS, Thomas Schulthess, highlighted the importance of ‘Alps’ for Switzerland as an expression of the country’s vision of a future characterized by knowledge and progress. Federal Councillor and Economics Minister Guy Parmelin, who attended the inauguration of ‘Alps’, emphasized the need for investment in order to maintain Switzerland’s leading position and competitiveness. However, one drawback of ‘Alps’ is its high power consumption, with estimates suggesting that it will cost around 15-20 million Swiss francs (€15-21 million) just to keep the supercomputer running. Despite this, Schulthess noted that the speed of ‘Alps’ far outweighs its energy inefficiency, with the supercomputer able to perform calculations that would take a standard laptop 40,000 days to complete in just one day.
The supercomputer ‘Alps’ is already being utilized by various sectors, including Switzerland’s federal weather bureau, to improve weather forecasting and provide accurate mapping of weather systems. Schulthess mentioned that simulations on ‘Alps’ are used in the MeteoSwiss app for weather forecasts on mobile phones. The capabilities of ‘Alps’ extend to solving complex calculations in the fields of medicine, space research, and climatology, making it a valuable tool for scientific research and advancement. The inauguration of ‘Alps’ was attended by Federal Councillor Parmelin, who emphasized the importance of investing in state-of-the-art technology like ‘Alps’ to maintain Switzerland’s position as a leader in innovation and progress.
The power consumption of ‘Alps’ may be a concern, with estimates suggesting significant costs to keep the supercomputer running. Despite this drawback, the speed and capabilities of ‘Alps’ make it a valuable asset for scientific research and data analysis, particularly in areas such as medicine, space research, and climatology. The efficiency and accuracy of ‘Alps’ have already been demonstrated through its use by Switzerland’s federal weather bureau for weather forecasting and mapping. As Switzerland continues to invest in cutting-edge technology like ‘Alps’, it reinforces the country’s commitment to advancing knowledge and progress in various fields. The completion of ‘Alps’ positions Switzerland as a key player in the global supercomputing arena, with the potential to climb even higher in the rankings as its capabilities are further developed and refined.
