Paderborn University’s new supercomputer, Otus, has secured an impressive fifth place in the international ‘Green 500’ rankings.
The Green 500 is a benchmark for the world’s most energy-efficient high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
The University unveiled the supercomputer at the ISC High-Performance trade fair in Hamburg this month. It is set for an official launch in the third quarter of 2025.
The world’s most efficient supercomputers
While the ‘Top 500’ list is based solely on computational speed, the ‘Green 500’ evaluates performance relative to power consumption. Using this benchmark, experts can gauge the most energy-efficient supercomputers on the planet.
“With Otus, we are developing innovative and pioneering infrastructure that will enable researchers to address complex research questions at the highest level in fields such as physics, chemistry or machine learning,” Professor Christian Plessl, a computer scientist at Paderborn’s Department of Computer Science and head of PC2, explained in a press statement.
“We are also setting standards for energy efficiency and sustainability,” he continued. “Initial testing has shown high performance levels,”
Otus, developed by Lenovo in collaboration with pro-com Datensysteme GmbH, boasts 142,656 processor cores, 108 GPUs, AMD’s cutting-edge ‘Turin’ generation processors, and an IBM Spectrum Scale file system with five petabytes of storage capacity.
The supercomputer employs indirect free cooling to operate efficiently year-round. It is powered entirely by renewable energy sources, and its high-temperature exhaust heat is repurposed to heat buildings.
These impressive capabilities have led to Otus’ ranking fifth on the Green 500 list. Top of the list is Henri, a small supercomputer operated by the Flatiron Institute in New York City. Henri was the first system to use Nvidia’s H100 GPUs.
Double the power of its predecessor
As Paderborn University points out in its statement, Otus has nearly double the computing power of its predecessor, Noctua. This allows it to perform a wide range of CPU-intensive tasks, ranging from atomic simulations to quantum computing.
Otus’ expandable architecture, capable of integrating up to 100 field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), provides an ideal testing ground for advanced computer system research.
“This means that it will also provide ideal conditions for outstanding research in the future,” Professor Matthias Bauer, President of Paderborn University, added in the statement.
“High-performance computing is now used for a variety of disciplines including quantum, climate and materials research,” he continued. “Here in Paderborn, we have a long tradition and relevant expertise in the field of computational science, as well as offering world-class state-of-the-art infrastructure.”
The development of Otus was funded equally by the state of the North Rhine-Westphalia and the federal government at a cost of approximately €14 million ($16 million approx.).
The development was procured through the National High-Performance Computing (NHR) Alliance. As such, Otus will serve researchers across Germany, not only those at Paderborn University.
Once acceptance testing is passed in the coming weeks, Otus will be fully operational. “The fact that we can celebrate such a fantastic start for Otus with this ranking is very special for us,” Plessl said.