Eni Unveils HPC6: Europe's Greenest Supercomputer Revolutionizes Energy Transition

Italian energy giant Eni is set to launch one of the world's largest supercomputing systems, HPC6, today. Positioned in Ferrera Erbognone, a small town near Milan, Italy, this cutting-edge facility boasts nearly 14,000 AMD GPUs. The construction of this powerhouse has surpassed a cost of €1 billion, approximately $1.04 billion. With a significant focus on sustainability, the data center is heralded as Europe's most energy-efficient, backed by a 1 MW photovoltaic power station to further minimize its carbon footprint.

Notably, HPC6 was recently ranked fifth in the TOP500 list of supercomputers, following El Capitan, Frontier, Aurora, and Eagle. This achievement makes HPC6 the only supercomputer outside the United States in the top five, cementing its position as Europe's most formidable computational resource. Eni claims HPC6 will serve as a lever for energy transition, optimizing the operations of industrial facilities, developing superior performance batteries, refining the biofuel supply chain, and innovating materials in the biochemical field.

Lorenzo Fiorillo, head of Eni's research and digital department, highlighted the supercomputer's capabilities, stating its speed is nearly nine times that of its predecessor. According to Fiorillo, this unparalleled computational power allows Eni to unlock geological structures beneath thick layers of salt in the South Atlantic. “Our algorithms can clearly reveal the location and size of oil deposits,” he emphasized.

Fiorillo also mentioned that his team dedicates 70% of their research time to cleaner energy initiatives. HPC6 will explore new methods to manage plasma clouds in nuclear fusion reactors, discover new materials, enhance carbon capture technology, and develop more efficient solar panels. This positions Eni among the few oil companies choosing to build their supercomputing infrastructure as opposed to utilizing cloud computing services. Strategic expansion plans for the facility indicate Eni's commitment to advancing its computational capabilities further.