A Research Well for the Pawsey Geothermal Supercomputer Cooling Project

Abstract

The Australian Government has funded the Pawsey supercomputer in Perth, providing computational infrastructure intended to support the future operations of the Australian Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and to boost next-generation computational geosciences in Australia. Supplementary Federal EIF funds have been directed to the development of a geothermal exploration well to research the potential for direct heat use applications at the Pawsey Centre site. Cooling the Pawsey supercomputer may be achieved by geothermal heat exchange rather than by conventional electrical power cooling, thus reducing the carbon footprint of the Pawsey Centre and demonstrating an innovative green technology that is widely applicable in industry and urban centres across the world. The exploration well is scheduled to be completed in 2013, with drilling due to commence in the third quarter of 2011. One year is allocated to finalizing the design of the exploration, monitoring and research well, and first concepts will be presented at AGEC for discussion and participation. Success in the geothermal exploration and research program will result in an industrial-scale geothermal cooling facility at the Pawsey Centre, and will provide a world-class student training environment in geothermal energy systems.