Germany launches 42,000-core ‘Otus’ supercomputer for green research

Germany has launched the ‘Otus’ supercomputer at Paderborn University’s Center for Parallel Computing (PC2), featuring over 42,000 processor cores, 108 GPUs, and a five-petabyte storage system. Developed in partnership with Lenovo and AMD, Otus aims to advance scientific research nationwide by enabling complex simulations that address fundamental and applied challenges, such as atomic-level physical and chemical processes, optimizing shipping routes, improving solar cell efficiency, and developing energy-efficient AI methods. Researchers across Germany can access the system through a competitive proposal process, with the supercomputer operating continuously throughout the year. A key highlight of Otus is its commitment to sustainability: it runs entirely on renewable electricity, uses an indirect free cooling system for year-round efficiency, and repurposes waste heat to warm university buildings. This eco-friendly design contributed to Paderborn University ranking fifth on the global Green500 list of the most energy-efficient supercomputers. Lenovo and AMD emphasized the project’s blend of high performance