In a groundbreaking ceremony held in Barcelona, Spain, President Pedro Sánchez inaugurated the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer, underscoring its pivotal role in propelling Europe’s reindustrialization and fortifying strategic autonomy. The visit marks a significant milestone, aligning with the objectives of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union.
As the primary node of the Spanish Supercomputing Network, which encompasses 16 supercomputers across 11 autonomous communities, the BSC-CNS solidifies its position as a key player in advancing computational capabilities.
Sanchez regards MareNostrum 5 as a testament to successful public-private partnerships and collaboration across different levels of public administration. The project received five substantial public investments, with 35% from the Spanish government (23.33%) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (11.66%), and 65% from European funds and supporting states like Portugal, Turkey, and Croatia. The BSC-CNS consortium further benefits from a commitment of 51% public contribution from the State.
The supercomputer has a three-fold focus: promoting basic research, supporting the business fabric, and nurturing scientific and technical talent. It is positioned to become a nexus of collaboration, knowledge creation, and employment generation.
“This center will not only produce knowledge but also generate hundreds of direct jobs and thousands indirectly, shaping the professionals of today and tomorrow,” emphasized Sánchez, portraying the facility as an “excellence center in the new knowledge economy.”
The importance of the project underscores Spain’s desire to play a significant role in the global semiconductor arms race. This goes beyond national borders, strengthening Spain’s leadership in supercomputing and assuming a crucial role in the Microelectronics and Semiconductor Strategic Project (PERTE Chip). An ambitious goal of manufacturing 20% of global semiconductors throughout Europe.
MareNostrum 5’s computing prowess, exceeding 200,000 trillion operations per second, is poised to deliver tangible benefits across various sectors. The applications are vast and impactful, from healthcare to climate emergency response, communication, and digital transition. President Sánchez stressed the economic wisdom of investing in such technology, stating, “Every euro spent on advancing this technology is a euro well invested. There is no more profitable investment.”
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