And it\u2019s that speed that is the key to quantum\u2019s potential.\u00a0 Quantum technology is estimated to be 158 million times faster than the most powerful supercomputer, capable of doing something in 200 seconds that it would take a modern supercomputer over 10,000 years to accomplish.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n So how does it work?\u00a0 Traditional computing relies on binary transistors representing either 1 or 0 (yes or no; on or off) in a given query. \u00a0Quantum computing, in contrast, draws on the power of quantum bits, or \u2018qubits\u2019<\/em>, which can represent both 1 and 0 at the same time \u2013 a superposition of states.<\/p>\n This multiplicity of states makes it possible for a quantum computer with just 30 qubits, for example, to perform 10 billion floating-point operations per second.[2]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Think of the potential leaps forward for complex and costly research areas such as aerodynamic modeling, drug development, supply chain optimization, gene therapy and more.<\/p>\n Quantum processors can make assumptions about a particle by measuring a related one within a closely-linked system \u2013 a feature known as entanglement. \u00a0For example, one qubit\u2019s clockwise spin must be matched by a corresponding qubit\u2019s counterclockwise spin. \u00a0Measuring a qubit\u2019s quantum state causes its wavefunction to collapse, correlating its state in relation to other qubits regardless of distance, and allowing vastly complicated sums to be resolved almost instantly.\u00a0 In this way, the power of quantum computing increases exponentially in line with the number of qubits.<\/p>\n The term \u2018quantum computing\u2019 itself is a little misleading, conjuring up images of conventional whirring desktop PCs and dusty keyboards. \u00a0The reality is quantum and conventional computing are two parallel worlds with some similarities, but many differences. \u00a0Three of the most important ones are:<\/p>\n As quantum computing evolves it will have revolutionary applications across three broad areas \u2013 optimization, machine learning, and simulating physical or molecular chemical systems \u2013 all with outcomes way beyond the capacity of even the fastest and most powerful of today\u2019s \u2018supercomputers\u2019.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n So, given these huge benefits, where are all our quantum computers, and why have we not already retired their sluggish microchipped forebears? \u00a0After all, quantum computing breakthroughs are reported almost weekly; the sector is acting like a brain magnet for our youngest and brightest minds; and quantum startups are being enthusiastically funded around the world. \u00a0Why the delay?<\/p>\n Despite widespread enthusiasm and optimism, the technology is still under development. \u00a0Our current generation of NISQ (Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum) devices are prone to errors in the quality and stability of qubits, a state known as incoherence, which limits their performance.<\/p>\n However, with the technology constantly being honed, a true quantum revolution might arrive sooner than we think. \u00a0Current trends indicate the first generation of fault-tolerant quantum computers (those with logical error rates at arbitrarily low levels) could hit the market by the end of the 2020s. \u00a0That is when the scope of its potential for counteracting climate change will come into clearer focus.<\/p>\n Satisfying net-zero emission targets is beginning to look almost impossible using today\u2019s technology. \u00a0Unfortunately, even if fully adhered to, pledges made at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26<\/a>) will still translate to a 1.7\u00b0C to 1.8\u00b0C global temperature rise by 2050, far exceeding the 1.5\u00b0C limit considered necessary for avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.[4]<\/a><\/p>\n The enormous potential of quantum computing, on the other hand, could upend these bleak forecasts. \u00a0Quantum computing, by some estimates, could drive the development of technologies capable of cutting carbon output by 7+ gigatons annually by 2035 \u2013 suddenly making 1.5\u00b0C a viable target once more.<\/p>\n Quantum computing could make a significant contribution either by spurring the proliferation of technologies most in need of scaling-up, or by greening emission-intensive sectors once thought impervious to intervention. \u00a0What specifically can we look forward to in the coming years as the quantum computing vision unfolds?<\/p>\n Electrification:<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0Batteries of vast capacity and durability are vital for the grid-scale storage of variable energy sources such as wind and solar. \u00a0However, improvement rates in battery energy density have slowed sharply, from a 50% density improvement between 2011 and 2016 to an estimated 17% increase between 2020 and 2025. \u00a0Quantum computing, by allowing a more detailed analysis of electrolyte complex formation, could indicate a replacement material for cathodes\/anodes and eradicate the need for battery separators.<\/p>\n Halving the cost of grid-scale storage could increase solar use by 60% across Europe by 2050, according to one study.[5]<\/a> \u00a0Meanwhile, batteries of 50% higher energy density will accelerate the business case for their widespread adoption in heavy goods vehicles.<\/p>\n Agriculture:<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0Low methane feed additives could cut the current 7.9 gigatons of CO2 emitted annually from cattle by 90%. \u00a0Quantum computing could assist in the development of an anti-methane vaccine, one that helps antibodies attach themselves to the right microbes in the hostile environment of a bovine gut.<\/p>\n Carbon capture<\/strong>: \u00a0Extracting and trapping carbon from the air works in principle but is prohibitively expensive at present. \u00a0Quantum computing is primed to drastically cut costs for both \u2018point-source capture\u2019 and \u2018direct-air capture\u2019 technologies.<\/p>\n Under the point-source method, CO2<\/sub> is captured directly from intense pollution sources such as industrial furnaces. \u00a0Quantum computing will model optimum molecular structures for multiphase solvents integral to the process, increasing capture efficiency across a range of CO2 <\/sub>sources and cutting costs by up to a half.<\/p>\n Under the direct-air method, CO2 <\/sub>is captured straight from the atmosphere in a system both stubbornly expensive and energy-intensive. \u00a0Quantum computing will help design novel absorbents such as metal organic frameworks (MOF), which can process CO2 <\/sub>far more efficiently than today\u2019s comparable technology.<\/p>\n Power and fuel:<\/strong> \u00a0Current crystalline silicon solar cells operate at about 20% efficiency. \u00a0Quantum computing dangles the promise of 40% efficient solar cells based on perovskite crystal structures. \u00a0Perovskite lacks durability and is toxic in some combinations. \u00a0Quantum computers, by simulating perovskite structures in multiple permutations using different base atoms, will design long-lasting and nontoxic solutions, potentially halving the cost of solar power.<\/p>\n Ammonia, costly and energy-intensive to produce, presently accounts for just 2% of the world\u2019s energy use. \u00a0Nitrogenase bioelectrocatalysis offers a tantalizing glimpse of how ammonia could be produced cleanly, at a fraction of its current price. \u00a0The process artificially replicates \u2018nitrogen fixation\u2019, by which plants absorb nitrogen directly from the air and convert it into ammonia. \u00a0Nitrogenase works at room temperature and at 1 bar pressure, eclipsing the efficiency of the current 500\u00b0C Haber-Bosch method. \u00a0The technology is not yet ready for scaling-up, but quantum computing is expected to rapidly resolve issues around enzyme stability and low rates of output. \u00a0Apart from cutting the CO2<\/sub> burden of the fertilizer industry, the estimated 67% cost reduction could hasten by a decade ammonia\u2019s widespread adoption as a shipping fuel.[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n High cost has also been an inhibiting factor for green hydrogen, but refining the process of electrolysis could finally help it reach commercial parity with natural gas. \u00a0The current generation of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers for \u2018splitting\u2019 water suffer from inefficiency and lack of durability due to poor interface between membranes and catalysts. \u00a0Quantum computing can simulate different energy states to increase efficiency, while identifying more chemically-compatible catalysts and membranes. \u00a0One set of researchers was able to analyze hundreds of quadrillions of material designs in a technique called cluster expansion. \u00a0Results led the team to an unexplored set of materials comprising antimony, manganese, oxygen, ruthenium and chromium \u2013 a synthesis of which exhibited catalyzing activity eight times higher than those currently on the market.[7]<\/a> \u00a0A 100% efficiency rate for producing green hydrogen could production costs by a third.<\/p>\n Industry:<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0As vital as the war against global warming is, construction cannot grind to a halt overnight. \u00a0The world consumes more than 4 billion tons of cement annually, a crucial binding agent in the concrete used to make our houses, factories, roads and hospitals.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, cement production causes around 2.5 billion tons of CO2 <\/sub>per year, or some 8% of the global total. \u00a0Currently there are no affordable alternatives to cement. \u00a0Quantum computing can negate the expense of costly studies, simulating different combinations of materials to design a durable and non-polluting surrogate product. \u00a0Some estimates suggest this could reduce emissions by up to 1 gigaton a year by 2035.<\/p>\n Even armed with all this foresight, quantum computing\u2019s most significant breakthroughs might actually surprise us all. \u00a0The technologies it could unlock may simply not yet exist on our conceptual radar. \u00a0Quantum mechanics might operate on the scale of the infinitesimally small, but its impacts will be global.<\/p>\n Like artificial intelligence, if utilized wisely quantum computing has the potential to encourage positive outcomes for several of the UN\u2019s Sustainable Development Goals<\/a>. \u00a0Initiatives including Zero Hunger<\/a>, Good Health and Wellbeing<\/a>, Affordable Clean Energy<\/a>, Industry, Innovation<\/a> and Infrastructure<\/a>, and Sustainable Cities<\/a> and Communities<\/a> all stand to benefit from quantum tech.<\/p>\n These are worthy targets, compelling us to find smart solutions to some of the hurdles currently facing quantum computing.<\/p>\n For instance, most quantum computers presently operate within cryogenic refrigerators at -273\u00b0C and, because of these extreme cooling requirements, still consume more power than standard computers.[8]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0Quantum computers in the pipeline could circumvent the need for qubit cooling altogether. \u00a0ORCA Computing\u2019s<\/a> quantum computing system, for instance, uses single photons for qubits at room temperature, without cryogenic cooling. \u00a0Trapped ion quantum computing can likewise run at less extreme temperatures, allowing them to process information using minimal power and generating almost no heat.[9]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0<\/sup>One study suggests quantum computers could eventually reduce energy usage by more than 20 orders of magnitude compared to conventional supercomputers.[10]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Other doubts remain. \u00a0Will quantum computing deepen the wealth divide between richer and poorer countries? \u00a0Will it unduly protect incumbent businesses by making industry entry unaffordable to newcomers? \u00a0What about quantum computing\u2019s impacts on a labor market still reeling from the triple-whammy of global recession, COVID-19 and AI<\/a>? \u00a0And will modern encryption standards be rendered useless by quantum\u2019s awesome computational power, leaving data and privacy demands in the dust?<\/p>\n Governments must play their part in ensuring quantum computing brings benefits for the many, not just the few. \u00a0They must help develop and fund higher education research programs, especially targeting financially-risky areas (such as carbon capture) and humanitarian projects (such as disaster prediction) which currently lack support. \u00a0Partnership templates already exist; see current collaborations between IBM and the UK government[11]<\/a>, the Netherlands\u2019 public-private partnership Quantum Delta<\/a>, or the joint quantum science and technology venture launched by the US and UK in 2021[12]<\/a>.<\/p>\n I feel that we are currently in the foothills of our quantum computing ascent, but already we can gaze up and see the peaks awaiting us. \u00a0Across the private and public sectors we must maintain open dialogue to ensure that the route we choose to these lofty heights is accessible for all, and that the destination brings mutual reward.\u00a0 Quantum tech promises profound changes across society, from finance to national security, to telecommunications and engineering. \u00a0By the time we reach a state of \u2018quantum advantage\u2019 \u2013 performance superiority over conventional computers \u2013 perhaps quantum computing could even stay, or help reverse, our most existential threat of all \u2013 climate change.<\/p>\n Optimization, simulation and quantum-enhanced machine learning. \u00a0Three simple concepts unlocked by the revolutionary power of quantum computing. \u00a0They might not save the world, but without doubt they will change it forever.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/featured-insights\/mckinsey-explainers\/what-is-quantum-computing<\/a><\/p>\n [2]<\/a> https:\/\/www.iberdrola.com\/innovation\/what-is-quantum-computing<\/a><\/p>\n [3]<\/a> https:\/\/prod.ucwe.capgemini.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Quantum-Technologies__Sustainability_20-09-2022_final.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n [4]<\/a> https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/capabilities\/mckinsey-digital\/our-insights\/quantum-computing-just-might-save-the-planet<\/a><\/p>\n [5]<\/a> https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/capabilities\/mckinsey-digital\/our-insights\/quantum-computing-just-might-save-the-planet<\/a><\/p>\n [6]<\/a> https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/capabilities\/mckinsey-digital\/our-insights\/quantum-computing-just-might-save-the-planet<\/a><\/p>\n [7]<\/a> https:\/\/www.powerengineeringint.com\/hydrogen\/quantum-computing-techniques-reveal-improved-catalyst-for-green-hydrogen\/<\/a><\/p>\n [8]<\/a> https:\/\/projectqsydney.com\/could-quantum-computing-help-curb-ais-carbon-footprint\/<\/a><\/p>\n [9]<\/a> https:\/\/www.techuk.org\/resource\/could-quantum-computing-hold-the-key-to-sustainability.html<\/a><\/p>\n [10]<\/a> https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/news\/energy-quantum-computing-efficiency<\/a><\/p>\n [11]<\/a> https:\/\/newsroom.ibm.com\/2021-06-03-UK-STFC-Hartree-Centre-and-IBM-Begin-Five-Year,-210-Million-Partnership-to-Accelerate-Discovery-and-Innovation-with-AI-and-Quantum-Computing<\/a><\/p>\n [12]<\/a> https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2021\/11\/04\/the-united-states-and-united-kingdom-issue-joint-statement-to-enhance-cooperation-on-quantum-information-science-and-technology\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":110978,"template":"","tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n10,000-year sum cracked in seconds<\/h2>\n
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Energizing industry, capturing carbon<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nHow quantum can be a force for good<\/h2>\n
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