Climate protection is also an objective of IBM's corporate philanthropy. Climate change is the topic of two of the research projects being conducted through the IBM-sponsored World Community Grid:
- AfricanClimate@Home
The AfricanClimate@Home project of the Climate Systems Analysis Group at the University of Cape Town is focused on developing more accurate climate models of specific regions in Africa. The research being conducted will serve as a basis for understanding how the climate will change in the future so that measures designed to alleviate the adverse effects of climate change can be implemented. World Community Grid's tremendous computing power is being used to understand and reduce the uncertainty with which climate processes are simulated over Africa. Phase 1 of AfricanClimate@Home has ended, and the scientists for this project are analyzing the results to prepare for Phase 2 of the project.
- Solar Cell Research
The scientists in the Aspuru-Guzik Group at Harvard University are using the World Community Grid to discover materials for renewable energy technology. The mission of this Clean Energy Project is to find new materials for the next generation of solar cells and later, energy storage devices. Chemistry can help meet this challenge by discovering new materials that efficiently harvest solar radiation, store energy for later use, and reconvert the stored energy when needed. By harnessing the immense power of World Community Grid, researchers can calculate the electronic properties of tens of thousands of organic materials -- many more than could ever be tested in a lab -- and determine which candidates are most promising for developing affordable solar energy technology.
Water for Tomorrow
Climate change is also an aspect of the new computer-modeling framework being developed by IBM and The Nature Conservancy in the "Water for Tomorrow" partnership. This partnership is creating simulation, three-dimensional visualization, and scenario forecasting tools to facilitate more sustainable management of the world's great rivers.
The system will provide access to wide-ranging data on climate, rainfall, land cover, vegetation and biodiversity. Users will be able to simulate the behavior of river basins around the world, helping inform policy and management decisions that conserve the natural environment and benefit the people who rely on these resources. It will help answer important questions such as: What impact will development have on water quality for a village downstream? Will clear-cutting a forest in the upper part of a river's watershed imperil fish stocks local people depend on for food?
The project will initially be implemented in the Paraguay-Paraná river system in Brazil in cooperation with key partners and stakeholders. The goal over the next two years is to replicate the decision support system in the Yangtze River in China and the Mississippi River in the U.S. and eventually other river systems throughout the world.