PowerCommons - The Open Silicon Commons
Welcome to PowerCommons
PowerCommons is an ambitious initiative to create the world’s first fully open, verifiable, and sovereign computing infrastructure based on the OpenPower architecture. We’re reviving and modernizing proven processor designs to deliver transparent, auditable, and secure computing platforms that serve the public interest rather than corporate surveillance.
In an era where digital infrastructure determines economic and political power, PowerCommons represents a crucial step toward technological independence and democratic control over computing resources.
What We’re Building
PowerCommons is reviving IBM’s A2O processor core—a proven 64-bit PowerPC design that powered Blue Gene/Q supercomputers—for modern FPGA platforms. We’re pairing it with Microwatt as a secure boot processor to create a fully open and verifiable SoC architecture, where every component from power-on to application execution can be inspected and audited.
Current work: A2O core revival targeting Xilinx VCU-118, with build system modernization for contemporary Vivado toolchains.
Foundation already laid: Linux booting on Microwatt/VCU-118, LiteDRAM integration, upstream contributions to the Microwatt repository.
Technical guidance: Direct collaboration with Prof. Peter Hofstee, original architect of IBM’s Cell Broadband Engine.
Where This Leads
A complete sovereign computing stack built on proven, auditable silicon—from embedded controllers through workstations to datacenter infrastructure. Not a slide deck vision: a concrete path from working FPGA implementations through formal verification to production hardware. Computing infrastructure that serves the public interest because every transistor’s behavior can be verified.
Our Vision
We’re building computing infrastructure that can be fully verified—where organizations and individuals can audit every component from silicon to software.
For government and critical infrastructure: Deploy systems where security doesn’t depend on trusting opaque vendor firmware.
For research institutions: Study and teach processor architecture with complete visibility into implementation.
For industry: Build products on foundations you can inspect, modify, and maintain independently.
The Broader Context
PowerCommons emerges from a recognition that computational infrastructure shapes society as fundamentally as roads, utilities, and communications networks. When this infrastructure is opaque and privately controlled, democratic oversight becomes impossible. We’re creating an alternative: computing as commons—collectively maintained, transparently operated, publicly auditable.
PowerCommons Development Roadmap
Long-Term Vision (2027+)
These phases depend on successful completion of the SoC platform and securing production partnerships:
- Hardware production: ASIC fabrication or volume FPGA deployment, contingent on formal verification completion and manufacturing partnerships
- Infrastructure deployment: Sovereign compute services built on verified PowerCommons hardware, contingent on hardware availability and operational partnerships
Our Mission
To democratize access to high-performance, secure, and transparent computing by creating fully open-source processor implementations and system architectures that can be verified, modified, and deployed by anyone, anywhere, without proprietary dependencies or hidden backdoors.
Project Summary
| Component | Status | Funding | Progress | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adding VCU-118 board support to Microwatt SoC | 🟢 In Progress | Self funded | █████████░ 90% | Q3 2025 |
| PowerPC Support in LiteX SoC Framework: A Microwatt Linux Implementation on VCU-118 | 🟢 Planned | Self funded | ░░░░░░░░░░ 0% | Q4 2025 |
| From OpenPower to PowerCommons: Resurrecting and Modernizing the A2O Core | 🟡 Planning | Requested | ░░░░░░░░░░ 0% | Q2 2026 |
| PowerCommons SoC Platform | 🔵 Researching | Requested | ░░░░░░░░░░ 0% | Q2 2027 |
Why This Matters
Digital Sovereignty
Every major processor today contains hidden management engines, proprietary firmware, and un-auditable code paths. PowerCommons changes this paradigm by ensuring every transistor’s behavior can be inspected and verified.
Post-Surveillance Computing
In alignment with post-capitalist visions of technology, PowerCommons creates computing infrastructure that serves communities rather than extracting value from them.
Technological Commons
Like public utilities and infrastructure, fundamental computing technology should be a commons - collectively owned, transparently operated, and democratically governed.
Get Involved
For Developers
- Code Repository: codeberg.org/PowerCommons
- Get Started: Getting Started Guide
- Matrix Chat: #powercommons:matrix.org
For Organizations
- Government & Critical Infrastructure: Deploy verifiable, sovereign computing
- Academic Institutions: Research and teach with fully transparent systems
- Industry Partners: Build secure products on open foundations
For Citizens
- Learn: Understand why open hardware matters for democracy
- Advocate: Support policies promoting open infrastructure
- Support: Contribute to sustainable development
Partners
- OpenPower Foundation - Technical guidance and community
- The Commune - Digital sovereignty advocacy on Medium
- The Sovereign Workshop - Meetups, Tutorials and how to articles on building the sovereign stack. Coming soon.
Updates
September 30, 2025: NLnet Funding Proposals Submitted
Submitted NLNET funding proposal for A2O Core revival.
September 20, 2025: First Microwatt boot with LiteDRAM, clock and timing issues..
August 2025: MicroWatt VCU118 Success
Successfully booted Linux on VCU118 platform without DRAM.
July 2025: Project Inception
PowerCommons initiative launched with support from OpenPower Foundation.
PowerCommons is a public interest technology initiative aligned with European digital sovereignty goals and the principles of the commons.