West Mass High-Performance Computing Center Accelerates Growth With AI Advancement

Holyoke – The AI revolution is making its way into Holyoke.

Layered metal shelves await installation and loading with suspended wires. Reels of vibrantly hued communication cords stand prepared for routing inside the building.

The pipes will be joined through welding to transport essential coolant water to the new computers.

This local AI revolution encompasses technicians such as union electricians and others who are already installing equipment in an unoccupied section of the facility. Massachusetts Green High The Performance Computing Center located at 100 Bigelow Street states John Goodhue , who served as the executive director of the computing center throughout its entire 12-year history.

It's an incredibly fascinating period," Goodhue stated. "Artificial intelligence is driving change. There's a growing demand for travel power.

Moreover, the computing center is also growing alongside this expansion.

In December, Governor Maura Healey initiated the Massachusetts AI Hub at the computational facility and broadened accessibility to eco-friendly high-speed computing resources. This collaboration entails combined funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts along with collaborating academic institutions. The authorities have stated that this financial commitment could exceed $100 million within the upcoming half-decade as they ramp up operations.

Last month, the center released a call for proposals seeking details about the acquisition and management of a substantial artificial intelligence computing resource. This initiative will progress through three stages—by August, by January 2027, and by August 2028.

As part of a connected initiative, the center along with its Boston-bound collaborator, QuEra Computing, intends to construct a $16 million quantum computing facility. Holyoke in the coming two years.

It is thought that Massachusetts was the pioneering state to support a quantum computing initiative. The proposed system would operate using laser control. Quantum Computing Complex will function by "enlarging" atoms to thousands of times their typical size and perform computations at speeds vastly surpassing those of traditional computer processors.

The president of Springfield Technical Community College, John B. Cook, stated that quantum computing, serving as a foundational tech, enhances machine learning and artificial intelligence.

"Quantum truly represents a leap ahead that will enhance the optimization of AI," he stated.

The latest economic development bond act from the state allocated $40 million to support advancements in quantum computing in Springfield and Western Massachusetts.

The involvement of STCC stems from a workforce element," Cook stated. "Where will these employees be sourced from?

STCC has maintained a focus on photonics for many years, where students explore topics such as light, lenses, and lasers—a field that emerged from longstanding local industries.

Goodhue mentioned that local community colleges excel in establishing internship programs at the Holyoke center. Through these initiatives, students gain practical experience and acquire essential skills for employment, which can be utilized either at the center or other locations.

The facility, which was inaugurated in 2012 It is a collaborative effort involving Boston University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Northeastern University, Yale University, and the University of Massachusetts system. Scholars from other academic institutions, such as Amherst College, also utilize this facility.

Scientists from these institutions along with collaborators worldwide utilize computational resources equivalent to hundreds of thousands of laptops to conduct millions of experiments monthly. This research is believed to enhance knowledge across various fields including climate studies, energy solutions, medical advancements, material science, healthcare practices, space exploration, and computing technology itself.

Research examples include analyzing the gut microbiome and studies of how galaxies are formed.

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland uploads terabytes of data to computers at the Holyoke center every week, Goodhue said.

Researchers are utilizing information gathered from the collider, which is the globe's biggest particle accelerator, to investigate the beginnings of the cosmos.

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The main focus now is on how to supply 5 megawatts of power to the facility in Holyoke’s historic Flats district and manage the excess heat produced when this electricity runs through servers within the building.

"All the energy that enters must exit," Goodhue stated.

One major reason for the facility being located in Holyoke is because the city depends on clean hydroelectric power provided by Holyoke Gas & Electric, which traces back to the era when it was known as the Paper City due to its significant industrial activities.

HG&E runs a quarter-megawatt generator in a compact brick structure located near the edge of the computing center’s parking area.

The center utilizes water from a system initially created for the demanding textile and paper mills that formerly occupied the city’s canal shores.

“When we were considering the sites, we asked if they had the capacity,” Goodhue said. “They said, ‘You’re a pipsqueak compared to a paper mill.’”

Goodhue refers to Moore's Law — the principle that observes the increase in computing power. crammed into a given space doubles every two years.

The acre-sized computer room on the center’s second floor is deafeningly loud with fans and pumps. Visitors – and there are few, with photos forbidden – are offered foam earplugs at the entrance.

Racks holding computers are arranged in big rectangles with a door leading to a small corridor through the inside. There is room for one or two people to work, no more.

The entrances to the inside areas bear the names and emblems of the universities or research groups utilizing specific computer banks.

The space is noticeably warmer than the cubicle-filled office just outside. Those workspaces offers floor-to-ceiling windows and sweeping views of the canal-side neighborhood and of construction for the rehab of the old Farr Alpaca Mill just across the upper level canal. The old mill will soon be 88 apartments.

Aaron Vega, Holyoke’s director of planning and economic development, said the center has been a good neighbor.

He said the center’s team welcomes visits by developers coming into the city. Those are people, Vega said, who “want to know about the center and they continue to be part of the story we use to attract continued development in the area.”

Goodhue said the center is highly automated, with only about a dozen employees on site. Hundreds more use the center, but mostly from their campuses and only come to the center occasionally to work on the equipment.

Activity will increase, he said, with the new developments.