Switzerland unveils new supercomputer 'Alps', already ranked sixth in the world

Switzerland has unveiled its new supercomputer 'Alps', one of the most powerful machines of its kind in the world.

In the global supercomputer rankings published by Top 500 in June, 'Alps' came in at number six behind electronic brains from the United States and Japan.

Staff at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre in Lugano (CSCS), where 'Alps' is based, say the computer could rank even higher today as it wasn’t completed when the rankings were put together.

The focus of 'Alps' will be on scientific research, solving complex calculations in the fields of medicine, space research and climatology.

The computer is already being used by Switzerland's federal weather bureau to provide up to date mapping of weather systems.

"If you look up the weather forecasts on your mobile phone in the MeteoSwiss app, they come from simulations on 'Alps'," said Thomas Schulthess, the director of CSCS.

Federal Councillor and Economics Minister Guy Parmelin, who attended the inauguration, said 'Alps' was important for Switzerland as an "expression of our vision of a future characterized by knowledge and progress."

"If you don't move forward, you fall behind. And if we want to maintain our leading position and be indispensable, this requires investment," he said.

There is one drawback; high power consumption. CSCS Director Thomas Schulthess estimates it will cost around 15-20 million Swiss francs (€15-21 million) just to keep 'Alps' running.

But what it lacks in energy efficiency, it makes up for in speed. Schultess says that a standard laptop would need 40,000 years to perform the calculations 'Alps' can do in a day.