On the outskirts of Santa Barbara, California, between the orchards and the ocean, sits an inconspicuous warehouse, its windows tinted brown and its exterior painted a dull gray. The facility has almost no signage, and its name doesn’t appear on Google Maps.

The emerging technology of quantum computing could revolutionize the fight against climate change, transforming the economics of decarbonization and becoming a major factor in limiting global warming to the target temperature of 1.5°C (see sidebar “What is quantum computing?”).

In 2009, Jeremy O'Brien, a professor at the University of Bristol, published a research paper describing how to repurpose on-chip optical components originally developed by the telecom industry to manipulate single particles of light and perform quantum operations. By 2016, based on the earlier photonic research, O’Brien and three of his academic colleagues, Terry Rudolph, Mark Thompson, and Pete Shadbolt, created PsiQuantum.

Forbes

In this most recent HPCwire/QCwire survey, senior researchers from D-Wave Systems, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and PsiQuantum tackle benchmarking, networking, and hybrid classical-quantum computing approaches.

HPCwire

In this episode, we’ll be investigating what quantum computers might be capable of by looking at one promising area of its potential application: drug discovery and development. We explore with quantum computing expert Shohini Ghose and quantum entrepreneurs Pete Shadbolt (PsiQuantum) and Robert Marino (Qubit Pharmaceuticals).

The Economist Intelligence Unit

The Quantum Insider

In an announcement at the 2022 World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, PsiQuantum announced it is setting up a new subsidiary called Qlimate devoted to using quantum computing to help solve the many computational problems associated with developing solutions for climate change.

Quantum Computing Report

Quantum computing has the potential to drive the major breakthroughs needed to help solve the climate crisis. Jeremy O’Brien, a pioneer in the field, shares how PsiQuantum is seeking to harness quantum computing for large-scale climate-change mitigation.

McKinsey – Learn to Leap

Dr Sam Roberts, Quantum Architect at PsiQuantum and University of Sydney PhD alumni, long had a passion for abstract maths, and thought he’d end up teaching it at university. Instead, he’s pushing the limits of linear algebra to encode data into particles of light. Read about what motivated him to pursue a career in quantum computing.

Sydney Quantum Academy

Erik Hosler of PsiQuantum discussed what's needed to build a useful quantum computer in his Plenary session at the SPIE Advanced Lithography and Patterning 2022 conference.

SPIE

Erik Hosler, Pattern Technologist at PsiQuantum, discusses perfecting the process of building the best quantum computer “without breaking the bank or the fab”.

SPIE

PsiQuantum is Hitting on All Cylinders – Not least because of a $25 million award as part of the recently passed U.S. FY2022 package… PsiQuantum also reported an improved approach to simulating chemical systems in a paper co-authored with Mercedes-Benz R&D and published in APS’s Physical Review Research. PsiQuantum said “a new analysis of how electrolyte molecules in Lithium-ion batteries (LiB) can be simulated on a fault-tolerant quantum computer, enabling breakthroughs sought by automotive manufacturers in next-generation battery design.”

HPCwire

There are many groups working on ways of simulating battery chemistry on a quantum computer. It is a difficult problem but one that could have a high payoff as the world converts to electric vehicles and demands more improvements in the batteries capacity to extend the range and reduce the size and weight. Although many of the other groups are trying to see if this can be done with NISQ level computers, PsiQuantum teamed up with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America to analyze what could be done on a future error-corrected machine.

Quantum Computing Report

Technical paper outlines how EV makers will be able to perform previously impossible battery chemistry simulations and accelerate development of next-gen batteries using fault-tolerant quantum computers.

The widespread adoption of electric vehicles rests on developing faster charging, longer lasting battery technology – the critical enabler for transitioning away from internal combustion engines. PsiQuantum has been working with Mercedes Benz to assess just how advanced a quantum computer must be to revolutionize Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery design.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced $25 million in federal funding to spur a new phase in the partnership between GlobalFoundries & PsiQuantum. This funding, secured as a part of the recently passed Fiscal Year 2022 spending package, will expand research and development spearheaded out of the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, New York (Rome Lab), to manufacture and test photonic quantum computing technology.

Office of Charles E. Schumer – United States Senator for New York

Manufacturing breakthrough will lead to quantum chips with the precision required to build the world’s first useful quantum computer.

The Register

A Conversation with Pete Shadbolt, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, PsiQuantum.

IEEE Quantum Podcast