System Resource Allocation Requests

For system resource allocations, learn about the high-performance computing (HPC) annual call for requests, and out-of-cycle and pilot project requests.

Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Call for Allocation Requests

The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) provides high-performance computing and related capabilities to support the mission of the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). EERE’s mission is to create and sustain American leadership in the transition to a global clean energy economy. Research and development projects in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation that are funded by EERE Offices or aligned with the EERE mission are eligible to utilize these resources. EERE high-performance computing focus areas include energy systems integration, materials science, forecasting, manufacturing, and fluid dynamics.  ​Due to the increase in capacity in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 outlined below, EERE may additionally grant allocations to mission-relevant computing projects that are supported by industry collaborators or university partnerships.

NREL runs an annual open call on behalf of EERE for research and development projects to request use of a defined quantity, or allocation, of the compute resources at NREL.  This notification serves as the announcement of this call for allocation requests. The allocation period of performance runs from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024.

Resources will be allocated on NREL’s new third-generation supercomputer, Kestrel, which is coming online during summer of 2023. Kestrel is being installed in two phases. Phase 1, to be installed during summer of 2023, comprises 2,304 standard compute nodes (CPU-only nodes). Phase 2 will become available January 2024 and will comprise 132 accelerated nodes (GPU nodes). When fully installed, Kestrel represents a significant expansion in computing capability at 44 petaflops. Resources to be allocated on Kestrel for FY 2024 include 192 million “allocation units”, or AUs on standard compute nodes; 82 million AUs on accelerated nodes; 30 petabytes of shared data storage and up to 60 petabytes of long-term data storage. Standard compute nodes provide 10 AUs per node hour and accelerated compute nodes provide 100 AUs per node hour. Kestrel standard compute nodes have two (2) Intel Sapphire Rapids 52-core processors. Kestrel accelerated nodes have four (4) NVIDIA H100 Tensor core GPUs and two (2) AMD Genoa 64-core processors.

Learn more about the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

For additional information about Kestrel, see Kestrel System Configuration. For additional information about Allocation Units, see System Resource Allocation Units.

Users are encouraged to submit requests for projects where a proposal has been submitted or is pending, as well as ongoing projects. Requesting an allocation will not affect the funding status of any submitted or pending proposals. Allocation requests must be completed and submitted by June 9, 2023. 

Users should request an NREL account by May 30, 2023 to expedite submission.   Users experiencing difficulty accessing the online request form may contact hpc-requests@nrel.gov for alternate submission procedures.

Allocation requests must be completed and submitted by June 9, 2023.

Fiscal Year 2024 High-Performance Computing Allocation Cycle: Call for Requests Deadline Extension

We realize many of your projects may be in various stages, including ‘proposed.’ We are extending the deadline to June 16, 2023, close of business. Please place requests, regardless of the project state, whether planning, proposing or executing, and be sure to look over the below information, inserted from a recent communication. In addition, we remind you that due to the increase in capacity on Kestrel this year, EERE may additionally grant allocations to mission-relevant computing projects that are supported by industry collaborators or university partnerships.

For more details, please review the announcement related to the extenstion. 

Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Call for Allocation Requests Webinar

NREL hosted a webinar providing information on the allocation request process on May 18, 2023. View the webinar recording and presentation slides.

Preparing an NREL System Resource Allocation Request

Principal investigators must have an NREL HPC user account to utilize the online allocation request system. If you need an HPC user account, please request one online:

  1. Visit User Accounts.
  2. Click the green “Request Account” button. This will direct you to an online request form hosted at DocuSign.
  3. Fill in your name and email address as the signer.
  4. Follow the online instructions provided in the DocuSign form.
  5. Write “Need HPC User Account to use allocation request system” in the Additional Notes or Comments box.

To submit an allocation request online:

  1. Visit the HPC Allocation Request page.
  2. Log in with your HPC user account username and password.
  3. Click the blue “Create New HPC Allocation Request.”
  4. Use the information provided below to help fill in the allocation request fields.
  5. Click Submit when the request is complete and ready to submit.
  6. Instructions can be found within the online form as well as how the information is utilized.
  7. Reference Eagle System Configuration for more information on the new system.

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