ARCHER2 course: Green software use on HPC

Edinburgh, 13 May 2025, 10:00 - 15:30 BST.

Understanding the scale of emissions from different sources is critical to being able to make the changes required to work in a more environmentally-sustainable way. This course will enable participants to understand emissions arising from the use of HPC systems and how to quantify them. We will use practical examples and real data from an existing HPC facility to illustrate the concepts. 

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Be able to understand the concept of carbon efficiency and how it relates to energy efficiency, including cases where energy efficiency can be at odds with carbon efficiency
• Know about how HPC systems can potentially reduce emissions
• Understand carbon intensity of electricity generation and the implications for carbon-aware use of HPC
• Appreciate the embodied emissions associated with HPC hardware and how they impact carbon aware use of HPC
• Be aware of the frameworks used to measure and report on carbon emissions and how the terms used in these frameworks map onto HPC
• Gain practical advice on how to measure and improve the carbon efficiency of HPC use.

The UK National Supercomputing Service ARCHER2 will be used as an example throughout this lesson, but the principles and learning should be applicable to any HPC system.

Target audience:

This introductory-level course is aimed at all stakeholders in HPC use (e.g. researchers, RSEs, funders). No knowledge of environmental sustainability principles is assumed.

It will not be streamed online and a recording will not be made.

Register now

See the ARCHER2 website to register.

Forthcoming ARCHER2 training.