In 2024, NREL accomplished the complete buildout of Kestrel, the U.S. Division of Vitality (DOE) Workplace of Vitality Effectivity and Renewable Vitality’s latest high-performance computing (HPC) system.
This new supercomputer now boasts roughly 56 petaflops of computing energy to speed up progress in power analysis, together with by using synthetic intelligence (AI) and machine studying to open new avenues in power analysis, supplies science, forecasting, and different areas.

NREL’s Superior Computing Annual Report for FY 2024 showcases the numerous contributions of superior computing. Kestrel powered greater than 425 power innovation initiatives throughout 13 funding areas to help American innovation within the power panorama.
One spotlight within the report describes how Questaal—a set of digital construction software program designed to reply primary questions on chemical and solid-state programs on the atomic stage—solves quantum physics equations and simplifies computationally intensive processes whereas retaining excessive constancy. Questaal’s excessive constancy allows it to resolve many properties the place prior theories have been insufficient, showcasing the flexibility to reply key science questions in a variety of research of chemical and supplies programs. Learn extra within the spotlight: Questaal Software program Resolves Complicated Physics, Serving to Researchers Remedy Complicated Issues.
One other key challenge highlighted within the annual report focuses on growing cost-effective strategies for breaking down plant cell partitions to achieve a deeper understanding of biomass at a molecular stage.
Funded by the Bioenergy Applied sciences Workplace, researchers used a multidisciplinary strategy to review how polymers are structured in Populus wooden. They then used Kestrel to create molecular fashions of the lignocellulosic biopolymer assemblies. The fashions helped researchers determine which biopolymer interactions are liable for the chemo-mechanical resilience of biomass. Learn extra within the report spotlight: First Macromolecular Mannequin of Woody Plant Cell Partitions Will Enhance Biomass Conversion.
Study extra about these initiatives and others within the Superior Computing Annual Report highlights , or obtain the complete report to learn the way superior computing contributed to necessary DOE analysis.
Study extra about superior computing capabilities at NREL.
Article from NREL.
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