# computing costs for UKESM/HadGEM3 on ARCHER2

**URL:** <https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/t/computing-costs-for-ukesm-hadgem3-on-archer2/349>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Tags:** ARCHER2\
**Created:** [9 December 2021 17:39 UTC](https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/t/computing-costs-for-ukesm-hadgem3-on-archer2/349 "2021-12-09T17:39:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Peer\_Nowack\_ENV\_Staf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@Peer\_Nowack\_ENV\_Staf](https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/u/Peer_Nowack_ENV_Staf)\
**Post date:** [9 December 2021 17:39 UTC](https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/t/computing-costs-for-ukesm-hadgem3-on-archer2/349/1 "2021-12-09T17:39:57Z")

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Dear Ros and Grenville,

I am a Lecturer at UEA and am currently in the process of writing an ERC grant application. For this purpose, I require a cost estimate for supercomputing on the ARCHER2 system using UK Met Office climate models. I was wondering if you could help me check my current estimates in case that I overlooked anything major?

I believe the [costs per CU](https://www.archer2.ac.uk/support-access/cu-calc.html) would be £0.39 for an ERC grant on ARCHER2 and the CMS website [here](http://cms.ncas.ac.uk/wiki/UM/Configurations/Performance) implies that UKESM1 demands around 165.7 kAU per model year. Graphs on the same website appear to imply that HadGEM3-GC3.1-LL would require only marginally smaller computing costs of maybe 140 kAU/model year. Is this correct? I would have expected a greater discrepancy.

So, assuming £0.39/CU, the cost for UKESM would be £28.59 per model year and £24.26 for GC3?

Would be great to receive your input,

Peer

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**Author:** ![grenville](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/grenville/32/29_2.png) [@grenville](https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/u/grenville)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2021 08:59 UTC](https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/t/computing-costs-for-ukesm-hadgem3-on-archer2/349/2 "2021-12-10T08:59:57Z")

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Peer,

We’d typically accommodate you under NERC resources at the partner rate (£0.2/CU) given that your work is NERC aligned (it is isn’t it?)

You might want see [http://cms.ncas.ac.uk/wiki/Archer2#Performance](http://cms.ncas.ac.uk/wiki/Archer2#Performance) for UKESM costs on ARCHER2. You might want to run some tests with your particular model configuration if the costs are critical.

Grenville

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Peer\_Nowack\_ENV\_Staf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@Peer\_Nowack\_ENV\_Staf](https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/u/Peer_Nowack_ENV_Staf)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2021 12:21 UTC](https://cms-helpdesk.ncas.ac.uk/t/computing-costs-for-ukesm-hadgem3-on-archer2/349/3 "2021-12-10T12:21:46Z")

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Dear Grenville,

Thank you for the info. So, just to confirm, is the 73.3 CU (135kAU) stated on the website the best current estimate for UKESM to use? Do I also understand correctly that there is no such clear estimate for the HadGEM3-GC3.1-LL model version?

Yes, the work would be NERC-aligned but purely ERC funded. Would it be reasonable to work with a £0.2/CU rate for the proposal in any case, or should I conservatively assume the higher rate in the proposal, just to ensure that the simulations can go ahead, i.e. is the £0.2/CU rate virtually guaranteed if the research focuses on atmospheric science / earth system science?

Thanks again,

Peer