U.S. Under Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernie Moniz, today transmitted the first official message over a high-speed fiber optic network designed to provide scientists in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia with a state-of-the art tool for energy and environmental research.
The network, known as INNOVA -Link will support data, video, and voice communications / links between DOE ’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), and West Virginia University (WVU), and the high-speed computing resources at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC).The establishment of INNOVA -Link achieves a major milestone of the Super Computing Science Consortium (SC)2, a partnership formed last year under the sponsorship of the Department of Energy.The network is designed to transport real-time data and images to greatly enhance the energy and environmental research capabilities of scientists in the region.
INNOVA-Link will provide us with tomorrows tools to enhance the nations energy security and the clean and efficient use of natural gas, oil, and coal,remarked Under Secretary Moniz.The regional collaboratory established today places the Pittsburgh-Morgantown research community at the center of this challengekey players in energy and environmental science, engineering and advanced computational research,said Moniz.
(SC)2was established last year by the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory, Carnegie Mellon University, the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, West Virginia University, and the West Virginia Governors Office of Technology.(SC)2 was officially kicked off on August 31, 1999.
I have been a strong advocate of the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center and the NETL since I first came to Congress.They are two of the crown jewels in our region, and I am very pleased to have helped secure the federal funds necessary to establish this new step in their continuing collaboration,said U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (PA-18).As the economic and technological advancement of our region accelerates, these resources will prove essential for enhancing our regional growth as well as advancing energy and environmental technologies,stated Doyle.
At 155 million bits per second, INNOVA -Links fiber optic cable will give researchers throughout southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia real-time access to PSC s Cray T3E , the 20th fastest computer in the world.Researchers at the NETL will use computer modeling through the Cray T3E to address climate change issues associated with energy use and model next-generation power systems like Vision 21 plants that will offer highly efficient power with near-zero hazardous emissions.
WVU will benefit from this direct link by being able to increase their wide ranging simulation and modeling efforts in an academic environment.Carnegie Mellon University faculty and students will benefit from enhanced research and development opportunities regarding energy and the environment.
Installation of the high-speed cable was made possible because of NETL s government contract with AT&T.The cable will connect the NETL s sites in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Morgantown, West Virginia, to the PSC . WVU will connect to the Cray T3E through NETL s Morgantown site.
Rita Bajura, Director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory said,Today’s ceremony andfirst transmissiondemonstrate that this partnership between the DOE and our regional universities is now coming to fruition.The (SC)2Partnership is not just a collaboration on paper.
Also participating in the event, which included a live videoconference and simulations via the fiber optic network, were CMU President Dr. Jared L. Cohon and WVU President David C. Hardesty, Jr., (via network link) and others.