High-Performance Computing for Energy Innovation

HIGH-PERFORMANCE computing (HPC) is a proven approach to scientific and technological innovation in which the U.S. enjoys strong international leadership. At the Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, HPC has become the “third leg” of research, joining theory and experiment as an equal partner. HPC enables discovery and innovation through the extraordinary simulations it makes possible. These simulations involve hundreds and sometimes thousands of microprocessors working together to mimic physical reality with stunning clarity.

HPC is used increasingly by industry to reduce the time and cost to design, develop, prototype, and deploy new products, materials, and manufacturing processes. As seen in the defense, aerospace, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries, this capability brings improved products to market faster and at lower cost. In this respect, HPC provides U.S. industry a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

However, the private sector is not using HPC as aggressively as it could. One U.S. industry in particular—energy—could benefit greatly from leveraging the power of advanced computational techniques to help deliver a more secure and sustainable future. Toward that end, the Laboratory’s HPC resources and simulation expertise are helping to advance clean-energy technologies.

As described in the article Simulating the Next Generation of Energy Technologies, HPC simulations are the centerpiece of a growing number of Livermore research efforts dedicated to examining in much greater detail the complexities of energy use and generation. For example, to better understand wind power, we are working to model atmospheric turbulence more accurately and determine where to locate wind-turbine farms. Simulations are also helping researchers evaluate several approaches for sequestering carbon dioxide to help mitigate climate change.

We’re also using simulations to aid utility companies in designing the electric grid of tomorrow by predicting the availability of intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar power, building more effective defenses against cyberwarfare, and planning for widespread deployment of electric transportation. One new initiative, led by Texas A&M University and sponsored by the DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, teams Livermore with other research centers to use HPC to develop a system for real-time, automated control over transmission lines. With such a system, utility operators could optimize electric energy utilization and reduce the number of emergency outages.

The need for energy firms to take greater advantage of HPC was underscored in May 2011, when the Howard Baker Forum, Lawrence Livermore, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and other partners sponsored a National Summit on Advancing Clean Energy Technologies in Washington, DC. The meeting, attended by more than 300 policy makers, energy executives, scientists, and entrepreneurs, featured discussions on promising energy technologies, with a particular focus on exploring how HPC can catalyze rapid advancement of those technologies.

A direct result of this summit was the launching of a pilot program, called the hpc4energy incubator, to spur clean-energy technology innovation through the use of HPC. In October, Lawrence Livermore issued a call for proposals to energy companies to collaborate with us in demonstrating the value of HPC in one of five critical areas: building energy efficiency; carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration; liquid fuels combustion; nuclear energy; and smart grid and power storage. In February 2012, a small set of outstanding proposals will be selected for a one-year pilot in which Livermore researchers and computational scientists will collaborate with industry to more rapidly advance energy technologies.

Initiatives such as the hpc4energy incubator hold the promise of innovative solutions by combining clean-energy technology, the grand challenge of our generation, and HPC, the proven technology accelerator. In the application of HPC modeling and simulation, the capabilities of the DOE national laboratories are unmatched anywhere in the world. The nation has a real competitive advantage in exploiting the power of HPC, and we cannot afford to lose it.