Finding solutions to the problems presented by Climate Change and Sustainability are
particularly intractable requiring new materials, processes and insights. The operation of
challenging simulations and optimisations will be required to make breakthroughs.
Presently we lack the computing power required to run these, with the limited number of
supercomputers in the world.
Quantum Computing should offer us a way forward.
The issue is not just an academic one of discovering solutions to challenging physical
problems, but also one of finding these solutions first and exploiting them for economic
advantage.
The dominant economies of the 21 st century will be those that crack the problems of
Electrical Generation, Electrical Transportation, Sustainable Fertilisation, and Drug
Discovery first and master the commercialisation of the processes.
Present ownership of Supercomputers is limited to a small number of Centres like Oak
Ridge Labs develop American Nuclear Weapons and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The difficulty of scaling such machines up sets a limit to what can be achieved with
conventional technology
The race to alternative tools is based in intellectual processes of Mathematics, Physics,
Chemistry and Computing and laurels will be awarded to countries and alliances that excel in
R & D in these.
The Challenges
The sustainability challenges include the generation of Green Fertiliser to replace the
energy-hungry Haber-Bosch Process, doubling the Electrical Generation Capacity of solar
panels using perovskites, modification of the Digestive Processes of Ruminants to remove
methane, the discovery of Zero Carbon Clinkers for cement and the improvement of Battery
Storage Capacity.
The present generation of quantum computers is described as Noisy Intermediate Scale
Quantum (NISQ) machines are sufficient to allow experiments to be conducted to verify
the Theories and Algorithms from Open Quantum Systems. Quantum Internet
connections allow the construction of arrays of small NISQ machines to reach the enormous
numbers of Qubits required to address the problems.
Much research work and progress is being made using Superconducting effects that occur
near Absolute Zero and are dependent on advanced refrigeration techniques. However, there
is competition from a range of machines that operate at Ambient Temperatures.
The key to success in this new world of competition for economic dominance will lie in the
establishment of a pipeline of suitably educated, trained and qualified people to join the
pool of talent to participate in the wave of innovation. This pipeline starts from age 12 or
even earlier.
Today’s Leaders
China
China has mastered quantum internet technologies, both terrestrial and satellite with an
an extensive programme of research since 2016.
China produces a million bright competent engineers a year.
Australia
Australia has concentrated their research in four universities and has an active
programme of education for high school students. The Australian Government has
dedicated substantial funds to the research.
Australians are actively recruiting talent worldwide to work in their programme.
The Australians are experimenting with a German design of Ambient Temperature
machines.
Holland, Germany and the EU
The Dutch TU Delft has led much European work since 2016, and offers an online
education programme. The German Government has invested 2 Billion Euros since 2020
in their programme which is led by the Fraunhofer Institute and includes the Universities of
Julich who works with IBM and Munich.
QuTech, an arm of Tu Delft is leading the EU-funded EU Quantum internet programme that
is part of the Horizon2020 research programme with 27 partners.
USA
The US president has just published a supplement to his 2023 budget to fund an ambition
to lead the world in Quantum Technologies.
They have appointed a Quantum Science Ambassador, Professor Prineha Narang whose
the role will include “connecting scientists in these countries with what we’re doing here at UCLA,
what our National Quantum Initiative centres are doing, and how to get started. This is an
incredible opportunity to initiate new partnerships with countries that are building their own
quantum programs, and strengthen collaborations with existing partners.”
The Americans are actively recruiting talent worldwide to work in their programme.
by Frank Domoney
