Industry and Research Centres Create a European Technology Platform for High Performance Computing

HPC is an indispensable instrument to resolve problems of highest complexity that require extremely large and efficient computational and storage capabilities for activities such as modelling natural phenomena (e.g., weather, climate change, or epidemics), optimizing energy resources, researching novel materials, and shortening engineering development cycles fostering innovation across the region.

The European Commission’s communication “High Performance Computing: Europe’s place in a Global Race” perfectly underlines the strategic nature of HPC and sees a European Technology Platform (ETP) playing a crucial role. The ETP is an industry led forum open to any organization performing research in the area of HPC technologies in Europe with the objective to define Europe’s research priorities in developing European technology in all segments of the HPC solution supply chain. The ETP strengthens European competitiveness in the area of HPC, which is a key requirement for future research and innovation as well as addressing a wide range of social and economic challenges.

The ETP4HPC expects to be recognised as the ETP referenced by European Commission and complements the research capacities created through PRACE. The recently released Vision Paper (http://www.etp4hpc.eu/documents/ETP-key-documents.html) indicates that the ETP4HPC can significantly improve Europe’s position in the domain of HPC technologies through a research program building on mutual strengths, taking advantage of technological disruptions with tangible and sustainable market potential, targeting technologies meeting the needs of important applications, and facilitating the creation of start-ups and the development of the SME sector as well as utilizing synergies with other Information Technology sectors to influence next generation computing.

The resulting benefits of an ambitious research program are a strong HPC technology ecosystem, competitive HPC solutions designed in Europe, and an economically sustainable HPC sector. These new strengths lead to better ability in HPC use and a competitive advantage for European research and industry areas in creating new opportunities and new activities. In addition, the ETP4HPC is preparing a Strategic Research Agenda to provide input for the Horizon 2020 program for defining future European research objectives. The industry and the research centres based in Europe are committed to investing in a research program dedicated to HPC technologies and to increase their research and development efforts.

The creation of ETP4HPC is an important step in encouraging and strengthening the position of the European HPC industry. The impressive set of competencies among the members of this initiative indicate that Europe can be at the forefront of the HPC industry in the coming years if an ambitious research and development program is put in place. The ETP will act as a catalyst for such a development resulting in a stronger European HPC industry that creates employment, adds value, and a stimulus for students and academic researchers in the ICT field. Through this improved capability and capacity, HPC users gain the capability to achieve new results in science and technology and to design more innovative products and services.