How are quantum technologies going to save our planet?
Quantum Technologies
According to scientists and engineers, rapidly developing quantum technologies will take over the world soon. But what is quantum technology? Generally speaking, quantum technologies is a class of technologies that works by utilizing the principles of quantum physics. Quantum technologies are the most promising technologies now, and they are expected to solve certain types of complex problems in multiple domains.
Quantum technologies can be categorised into four main types:
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quantum computing,
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quantum simulation,
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quantum communication, and quantum sensing.
Each category has different characteristics, capabilities, scopes of application and readiness. Let's dive into all of them and explore how their application can resolve various sustainability challenges.
Quantum Computing Hardware Component
The qubit circuits of Google's quantum computer Sycamore (Google)
I. Quantum Computing and Quantum Algorithms
Quantum computing is a unique type of computing that operates on properties of quantum physics to calculate outputs. By itself, quantum computation is rooted in three major quantum mechanics principles: quantum superposition, entanglement, and quantum interference. These three main concepts introduce new ways of programming methods that are contrasting with traditional ones.
The device that performs quantum computation is, unsurprisingly, known as a quantum computer. A quantum computer is fundamentally different in both the way it looks and in the way it processes information. Quantum computers allow data to be processed much faster than it is possible with classical computers and supercomputers. This speedup and other efficiency improvements happen because quantum computers run the quantum algorithm in contrast to classical algorithms that are usually used in classical computer models. There are many different quantum algorithms already, and they are typically categorized by the algorithm's main techniques or by the type of problem solved.
No wonder that a quantum computer is a powerful tool that can solve many real-world problems. Quantum computers will be a key player in combating climate change and enabling our sustainable future in a few decades. But how exactly quantum computers and quantum algorithms can benefit the planet?
Development Of Novel Materials
Advances In Fluid Dynamics
There is a constant need for lighter, stronger, and better-insulating materials with a smaller carbon footprint during their production. Quantum computers are able to address this complex material science optimization problem, and contribute to the development of new materials that would reduce global CO2 emissions.
Understanding fluid dynamics is a crucial part of designing and operating various types of air & water transport, including automobiles, aircraft, and watercraft. Quantum computers can help manufacturers produce better design options and help optimize many important parameters like aircraft climb trajectory or drag and lift forces. In the long run, the implementation of the quantum computer's optimization solutions would reduce pollutant emissions.
Sustainable Land-use
Optimization
Wise land-use decisions will allow people to produce enough food for the human population with a low impact on the environment and benefits to the land itself. Before making any decisions, the land-use optimization problem, which involves many real-time variables, has to be solved on a global scale. To solve the world's biggest spatial optimization problem, quantum algorithms have to be deployed on classical or quantum hardware. Spatial attributes highly influence C02 emission in land-use patterns; therefore, land-use must be optimized to slow down or stop climate changes.
Solution To Traffic Reduction Problem
With the automotive industry expansion, road traffic became not an uncommon thing. Traffic optimization is an extremely complex combinatorial optimization problem that is not suitable for classical machines. Instead, quantum technologies such as quantum processing units are designed to solve this time-critical optimization task. That would ultimately lead to developing and implementing robust, sustainable strategies in traffic management and transportation development.
Improvement Of Complex Supply Chains
In simple words, a supply chain is a network between a company and its suppliers to produce and distribute a specific product to the final buyer. Unsurprisingly, global supply chains are highly complex and require long travel times and enormous fuel consumption. Smart optimization is needed to save transportation energy. However, optimization of supply chains management is not an easy task for classical computers. Only quantum computers can explore such problems that would lead to a decrease in global warming emissions.
Smaller electricity consumption
Even if a quantum computer fails to outperform its classical counterpart and achieve a speedup for a specific problem, using quantum machines might still be efficient in terms of energy required to complete the task. The shift from using classical computation machines to quantum ones could significantly reduce energy consumption worldwide and, as a result, bring us closer to a greener and healthier planet.
II. Quantum Simulation
Quantum simulator is a device intended to model real systems by actively using quantum mechanics effects. Quantum simulators can model various complex natural systems that classical simulators can't (or can, but it would take years or hundreds of years to complete tasks).
In the future, as more advanced quantum technologies to come, scientists hope to simulate natural models arising from various scientific fields that span from high-energy, nuclear, atomic, and condensed matter physics to thermal rate constants and molecular energies in chemistry. Of course, advanced and superfast simulation of systems is not a necessity for science - everything could be done by the trial and error method. However, quantum intervention to the imitation of real-world tasks and processes is much more beneficial. This is particularly true for various simulations relevant to climate and energy.
Development of Chemical Catalysts
Quantum computers have a natural ability to simulate many physical processes. For example, quantum computers can accurately model molecular interactions involving 50 to 150 atoms, which is far beyond the classical computer's capabilities. The molecular simulations will help in the development of better and more efficient chemical catalysts. Novel chemical catalysts would bring down the CO2 emission, enable ammonia to be a carbon-neutral fuel, increase the efficiency of current conversion processes and increase efficiency and lower the cost of binding carbon.
Climate Simulation
To predict future climate, scientists use computer programs called climate models, Global Circulation Models (GCM), to understand how Earth is changing. One of limitations of climate models as predictors of climate change is limited power of classical computers. This weakness makes GCM-based predictions too uncertain. Quantum simulators don't have any limitatons, so they can be used to presicely simulate past and future climates and serve as the bases for public policy responses related to future climate changes.
Energy Modeling
Energy modeling is the process of analyzing computer models of energy systems. Energy systems modeling plays a crucial role in guiding decision-making on power capacity expansion and illustrating different strategies to meet environmental demands and targets. Quantum simulators could realize their potential in the energy and power sector - they can efficiently model highly complex energy systems. Those simulations will serve as a foundation for our sustainable future.
III. Quantum sensing
Quantum sensor is a device that performs precise measurements of a physical quantity using a quantum system, quantum properties, or quantum phenomena. Quantum sensing is a fast-growing research area, and quantum sensors have found applications in a wide variety of fields, including microscopy, communication technology, electric and magnetic field sensors, as well as geophysical areas of research.
Precise Green Gases Monitoring
Greenhouse gases are made up mostly of carbon dioxide (CO2) with smaller amounts of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Greenhouse effects cause climate changes and contribute to respiratory disease from smog and air pollution. The consequences of the greenhouse effect are scary, and it's essential to monitor and control greenhouse gasses precisely. For that reason, green gases must be measured with cutting-edge measurement tools, and a quantum sensor is one of them.
Better Identification Of Natural Hazards
According to American Geophysical Union, rising temperatures and environmental changes contribute to heightened exposure to earthquakes, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, and wildfire. Right now, classical computer tools are used to collect information, qualitatively identify a hazard, model a system, analyze the result, and make a consequence assessment. Quantum hazard identification sensors are going to be much more powerful and energy-efficient than their classical counterparts.
Experts say quantum technologies are coming, and we should expect full-blown quantum computers to be ready in a decade or so. For example, IBM promises to build a 1000-qubit quantum computer by 2023 - that would be a huge milestone in the quantum world.
Some companies are already utilizing simple quantum computers and quantum algorithms. For example, Microsoft is already working on land-use optimization problems running quantum algorithms in classical hardware, or D-Wave quantum computer solves "simple" tasks. This is already a big step forward.
Most importantly, will quantum advances help satisfy the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015? In theory, yes, in practice - most likely no. The actual implementation of quantum technologies will take a sufficient amount of time.
The 2030 Agenda & Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
What about the "no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050" goal of the European Green Deal agreement? This seems to be a more realistic objective.