On 8 December 2022, Olivier Ezratty presented the Quantum Energy Initiative (QEI) at the Systematic Paris-Region Quantum Day.

The QEI aims to develop a systemic approach to keep under control the quantum energy footprint and, in general, its physical resource cost already in its initial stage. The spirit of QEI is to engage as far upstream as possible in a process of responsible innovation shared by actors in the international quantum ecosystem, while stimulating the exploration of deep and fundamental questions of quantum physics and quantum information.

As highlighted on its website, the  QEI has been created with both ethical and scientific motivations:

  • From the ethical perspective, it aims to raise awareness in the quantum community and develop responsible innovation practices, focusing on the energy footprint and, more generally, the physical resource cost of quantum technologies as early as possible.
  • From a scientific point of view, the QEI aims to build a new interdisciplinary research line between different research communities working on fundamental questions as well as across fundamental research and enabling

The QEI was lauched in August 2022 by Alexia Auffèves (CNRS Institut Néel and MajuLab Singapore), Robert Whitney (CNRS LPMMC), Janine Splettstoesser (Chalmers University) and Olivier Ezratty (freelance quantum technologies consultant and author), following the original QEI position paper published as a Perspective in PRX Quantum in June 2022. The QEI website  was launched on 7 November 2022, with a first seed of 17 partners from Spain, Sweden, Austria, Finland, Singapore and France, organised in the following categories:

  • Research organisations (research labs, quantum ecosystems)
  • HPC service providers
  • Industry vendors (hardware, software, enabling technologies, etc.)
  • Industry associations or consortiums

For aQuantum it is an honour and a great responsibility to be part of the industry vendors partners, from where we will actively contribute to their projects with our lines of research and development of sustainable quantum and hybrid software solutions.

Led by Professor Coral Calero, at aQuantum we have an ongoing R&D line, Green Quantum Algorithms & Software, dedicated to the development of sustainable quantum software, taking into account its environmental dimension and how the development, maintenance and use of quantum software affects energy consumption. Among the work topics of this R&D line, the practical application of the results through the QuantumPath® and its multiple applications to improve and assure the greenability of quantum algorithms and software stand out.

aQuantum encourages all quantum professionals interested in bringing the energy footprint of quantum computing under control to join the #QEI network, by completing the QEI survey, the results of which will be used to organise a first conference in 2023.

You can also support the #QEI by signing the QEI Manifesto, to support the call for dedicated work programmes on quantum strategies worldwide.

You can learn more about  #QEI here https://quantum-energy-initiative.org/