University stacks up eco-friendly credentials

A green supercomputer has helped Sunderland to reduce its carbon footprint

Sunderland University has installed what it claims is one of the UK’s first eco-friendly supercomputers, capable of handling powerful processing tasks without the need for extra cooling.

The grid computing system uses 42 Dell PowerEdge 2950 servers running Intel Xeon 5100 chipsets, cutting the energy used by the computer by 50 per cent.
A spaced-out layout for the grid allows air to circulate, eliminating the need for a specialised cooling system.

“There are two key benefits to getting your power consumption down, the first being that it helps to reduce your carbon footprint,” said technical manager Kevin Ginty.

“Also, it costs a lot to run these things, so if you use less power the bill is smaller. We’re talking thousands of pounds a year here, it’s not peanuts.”

The system has been used for a PhD genetic research project and will tackle graphic design work in the future.