ENEA Partners with Lenovo to Boost Clean Energy Research with New HPC System
ENEA, Italy's National Agency for New Technologies, Energy, and Sustainable Economic Development, has chosen Lenovo to implement a high-performance computing (HPC) system at its Portici hub near Naples.
This system aims to advance research in clean energy, particularly nuclear fusion. Comprising 758 nodes powered by 2 Intel Xeon Platinum 8592+ CPUs each, the HPC setup will elevate the computational capacity of the CRESCO (Computational Center for Research on Complex Systems) supercomputer from its current 1.01 Petaflops to over 6.5 Petaflops, positioning it as one of the most powerful systems in Italy.
Beyond enhancing computational capabilities, ENEA prioritized sustainability in selecting Lenovo as its partner.
The new HPC system integrates Lenovo’s Neptune Direct Water-Cooling technology, which captures up to 98% of the heat generated by the supercomputer. This liquid cooling approach reduces the energy needed for fan operations, ensures CPUs maintain optimal temperatures, and prevents performance throttling due to overheating. Additionally, the hardware was manufactured at Lenovo's facility in Hungary, which employs energy-efficient technologies, further minimizing emissions associated with transportation.
ENEA oversees a sophisticated ICT architecture supporting advanced computational tasks, modeling, and 3D data visualization through GRID technologies. Its infrastructure spans six centers—Frascati, Portici, Bologna, Casaccia, Trisaia, and Brindisi—each specializing in various application domains. The CRESCO computing centers deliver state-of-the-art computational services across ENEA's focus areas, including energy systems, nuclear research, climate modeling, bioinformatics, and more. In the energy sector, the enhanced HPC capabilities are expected to drive innovation in digitization and decarbonization efforts for public and private industries.
“High-performance computing and artificial intelligence are unlocking new opportunities in vital fields such as sustainable development, climate research, and energy innovation,” said Alessandro de Bartolo, Country General Manager of Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group in Italy.
“Lenovo is proud to support ENEA in tackling these global challenges with our cutting-edge technologies and expertise.”
Giovanni Ponti, Head of ENEA’s ICT Division in the Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources, emphasized the significance of the upgrade: “The CRESCO8 supercomputer represents a major technological leap, enhancing our parallel computing resources while maintaining exceptional energy efficiency. This next-generation HPC cluster will enable researchers and partners to execute advanced simulations, numerical codes, and AI algorithms to meet the evolving demands of the scientific community.”
The installation is managed by Ricca IT, a certified Lenovo business partner with extensive experience in HPC and AI solutions, cementing its reputation as a leader in Italy’s technology landscape.
This system aims to advance research in clean energy, particularly nuclear fusion. Comprising 758 nodes powered by 2 Intel Xeon Platinum 8592+ CPUs each, the HPC setup will elevate the computational capacity of the CRESCO (Computational Center for Research on Complex Systems) supercomputer from its current 1.01 Petaflops to over 6.5 Petaflops, positioning it as one of the most powerful systems in Italy.
Beyond enhancing computational capabilities, ENEA prioritized sustainability in selecting Lenovo as its partner.
The new HPC system integrates Lenovo’s Neptune Direct Water-Cooling technology, which captures up to 98% of the heat generated by the supercomputer. This liquid cooling approach reduces the energy needed for fan operations, ensures CPUs maintain optimal temperatures, and prevents performance throttling due to overheating. Additionally, the hardware was manufactured at Lenovo's facility in Hungary, which employs energy-efficient technologies, further minimizing emissions associated with transportation.
ENEA oversees a sophisticated ICT architecture supporting advanced computational tasks, modeling, and 3D data visualization through GRID technologies. Its infrastructure spans six centers—Frascati, Portici, Bologna, Casaccia, Trisaia, and Brindisi—each specializing in various application domains. The CRESCO computing centers deliver state-of-the-art computational services across ENEA's focus areas, including energy systems, nuclear research, climate modeling, bioinformatics, and more. In the energy sector, the enhanced HPC capabilities are expected to drive innovation in digitization and decarbonization efforts for public and private industries.
“High-performance computing and artificial intelligence are unlocking new opportunities in vital fields such as sustainable development, climate research, and energy innovation,” said Alessandro de Bartolo, Country General Manager of Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group in Italy.
“Lenovo is proud to support ENEA in tackling these global challenges with our cutting-edge technologies and expertise.”
Giovanni Ponti, Head of ENEA’s ICT Division in the Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources, emphasized the significance of the upgrade: “The CRESCO8 supercomputer represents a major technological leap, enhancing our parallel computing resources while maintaining exceptional energy efficiency. This next-generation HPC cluster will enable researchers and partners to execute advanced simulations, numerical codes, and AI algorithms to meet the evolving demands of the scientific community.”
The installation is managed by Ricca IT, a certified Lenovo business partner with extensive experience in HPC and AI solutions, cementing its reputation as a leader in Italy’s technology landscape.
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