Extreme Scale Computing to give UK Fusion Energy Programme a Boost

A new centre of excellence to be located at STFC’s Hartree Centre, at its Daresbury Laboratory, is being developed as part of a new collaboration with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) that will push the UK ahead as an international leader in applying extreme scale computing to fusion engineering design.

The initiative will see UKAEA locate staff at the Hartree Centre to grow sophisticated computing capabilities for the delivery of commercial fusion, using some of the most advanced computing, data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the UK.

Fusion energy is considered to be an attractive option as part of the future low-carbon energy supply, however technical hurdles still need to be addressed. These include producing and managing the plasma (ultra-hot gas) where the fusion process happens as well as meeting challenges in materials and engineering design.

World-leading supercomputing and data science expertise at STFC will address some of these challenges including the understanding and modelling of plasma; and producing the innovation required to develop ‘digital twins’ of future fusion power.

A major theme for the collaboration will be to exploit the predicted confluence of high-performance computing and AI at the ‘exascale’, a turning point in computing. Some have suggested that computers, capable of performing one quintillion mathematical operations per second (or an ‘exaflop’), will have a power comparable with the human brain.

Tim Bestwick, Chief Technology Officer at the UK Atomic Energy Authority, said: “The Hartree Centre and UKAEA each have extraordinary world-leading capabilities in their fields, so this unique relationship can really accelerate the vital mission of developing sustainable fusion energy, which we believe will play a key role in our low-carbon future.”

Alison Kennedy, Director at STFC’s Hartree Centre, said: “This new centre will allow fusion specialists to work shoulder to shoulder with our own scientists and engineers to co-design tools and methods for accelerating the UK fusion programme. Our relationship will further enhance our current collaborations with ATOS, Nvidia, IBM and other vendors.

“We are as excited as UKAEA about the UK government’s prioritisation of fusion energy in their ‘ten point plan for a green industrial revolution’. Our own roadmap is strongly aligned with this document, and we believe strongly that Hartree Centre has unique, world-class expertise that will be essential for the timely delivery of commercial fusion energy.”

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