| Insight
HPC also is having a huge impact on the renewables
sector in the modelling of weather patterns, energy demand fluctuations, and grid operations. Weather forecasting models powered by HPC accurately predict renewable energy generation potential, helping utilities optimise the integration of solar and wind power into the grid. By aligning generation with demand patterns, grid operators can enhance grid stability, minimise restrictions, and maximise renewable energy use through the Massive Internet of Things (MIoT). Moreover, HPC contributes to the optimisation of power generation and distribution systems, including thermal power plants, nuclear reactors, and smart grids. Advanced simulation tools allow engineers to design more efficient turbines, boilers, and cooling systems, thereby reducing energy losses and environmental impacts. In addition, real-time monitoring and control systems empowered by HPC enhance grid resilience, enabling rapid response to outages, fluctuations, and even cyber threats.
Scalability has been key The scalability and cost-effectiveness driven by
Moore’s Law has significantly influenced the development of cloud computing. The ability to pack more transistors onto a chip has led to more powerful and affordable hardware, making it feasible for cloud service providers to offer robust computing resources at a lower cost whereby cloud computing leverages the principles of virtualisation and on-demand resource allocation. The technologies and innovation sitting behind Moore’s Law have empowered cloud providers to continually enhance their infrastructure, providing energy companies with the ability to scale up or down as needed. Furthermore, the rapid evolution of semiconductor
technology has spurred innovation in cloud services. Cloud providers can leverage the latest hardware advancements to offer new and improved services to their users. This continuous cycle of innovation enhances the agility of cloud platforms, allowing them to adapt to changing technological landscapes. While growth of HPC and the Cloud aligns with
Moore’s predictions, it faces challenges such as physical limitations and the diminishing returns of miniaturisation. As transistors approach atomic scales,
www.waterpowermagazine.com | March 2024 | 9
alternative technologies such as quantum computing may become necessary for sustaining the pace of progress.
The Implications of Moore’s Law It appears then that we could be forgiven for thinking
that we are close to reaching the limits in available computational power. But that’s not necessarily the case, indeed the Cloud will continue to be the principal catalyst for realising HPC’s impact across all sectors, so long as we all work better with the tools we have to improve efficiencies and outcomes. Much of that will be down to training, and much also down to funding, but crucially, it’s about understanding where the true power lies, where petabytes of data are processed in milliseconds, This is echoed in our very own report, ‘Incorporating the Cloud into the HPC Mix’ [2], where HPC and the Cloud are explained in greater detail. Over time needs will evolve, as indeed does the
nature of support required. What is critical, however, is that as the energy sector evolves with HPC, it needs support to get optimal use, and power, to realise HPC’s benefits. And despite everything, Moore’s Law is still guiding the energy sector to look at new ways of enhancing computational power to increase efficiencies for operators, and likewise to give greater power at the fingertips of consumers.
References
1.
https://www.mckinsey.com/ industries/oil-and-gas/our-insights/ global-energy-perspective-2022
2.
https://www.redoakconsulting.
co.uk/incorporating-the-cloud- into-the-hpc-mix/
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