HPE has announced the successful delivery of Olivia, Norway’s most powerful supercomputer.
Installed at the Lefdal Mine Data Center, Olivia represents a major leap forward for Norway’s high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and digital sovereignty.
Powered by Norway’s renewable energy, the system combines performance and energy efficiency to support national research and innovation.
This investment aligns with Norway’s national strategy for Artificial Intelligence, with the Research Council recommending NOK 3.4 billion ($340 million) in HPC and AI funding over five years to secure expertise, readiness, and security.
Built on HPE Cray EX Supercomputing EX4000 and featuring 504 AMD Turin CPUs, 304 NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchips, the system delivers a 1,600 percent increase in Norway’s national compute capacity while reducing power consumption by 30 percent compared to its predecessor, Betzy.
As of November 2025, Olivia is ranked No. 134 on the list of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.
“Olivia represents a significant advancement in Norway’s national compute capabilities,” said Kristen Ottestad, Sales Director and Signatory for HPE Norway.
“By integrating HPE’s HPC and AI expertise with AMD CPUs and NVIDIA Superchips that combine NVIDIA CPUs with NVIDIA GPUs to deliver exceptional computing power and energy efficiency, the system delivers scalable performance for AI and scientific workloads, supporting Norway’s strategic goals in research, innovation, and AI.”
Energy-efficient supercomputing in Norway
Installed in the Lefdal Mine Data Center, Olivia exemplifies a new generation of supercomputing infrastructure designed with energy efficiency at its core.
Leveraging Norway’s renewable energy and the unique architecture of the mine, the system operates with minimal environmental impact, reducing carbon emissions and with future plans to reuse that heat to provide warm water for local salmon farms.
Real-world impact: Accelerating hydropower innovation with Olivia
In Norway’s dynamic energy market, where weather-dependent renewables pose new planning challenges, hydropower remains a critical stabilising force.
The SINTEF GoHydro project leveraged Olivia’s advanced architecture to dramatically improve energy planning, achieving a 25 percent boost simply by utilising shared NVIDIA GPU memory.
Simulations of hydropower production saw speed-ups of up to 50x for smaller models and up to 200x for larger ones, enabling faster, more accurate decision-making for producers balancing profitability and regulatory obligations.
“Olivia marks a new chapter for Norwegian research,” said Helge Stranden, Senior Advisor HPC & Storage, Sigma2.
“By combining cutting-edge performance with the unique energy efficiency of the Lefdal Mine Data Center, we’re not only accelerating scientific discovery, [but] we’re doing so responsibly.”
“This system empowers researchers across disciplines to tackle global challenges with sustainable supercomputing at their fingertips.”
Olivia will be available to researchers nationwide, regardless of institutional affiliation, ensuring equitable access to AI and compute resources.
From climate modelling and marine science to health and language AI, Olivia empowers Norwegian researchers to tackle complex scientific challenges.
Sigma2’s deployment of Olivia will provide support for national research ambitions and AI innovation.
Olivia joins a cohort of supercomputing systems delivered to European organizations, including LUMI (Finland), Alps (Switzerland), and Blue Lion (Germany), supporting national research ambitions and AI innovation through secure, energy-optimised infrastructure.