The Promise and Challenges of Quantum Computing for Energy Storage

With recent advances by industry, the emergence of quantum computing at a capability that surpasses the limits of classical computing is fast approaching. An example of these advancements is the superconducting qubit technology developed at Google (as seen in Figure 1). A key area where quantum computing has been predicted to offer dramatic advances is in applications to materials science and quantum chemistry. Here there is a close link between the natural system and engineering quantum devices, allowing for dramatic advances in what can be simulated and how these systems can be understood. This subfield has evolved rapidly over the past few years with experimental demonstrations and theoretical advances alike. A broad perspective on this relationship is laid out in a recent review article. Our natural instinct is to harness the newly found and unprecedented problem-solving capabilities of quantum computing and direct them toward the defining challenges of our time. In this Future Energy, we frame and explore the opportunity of applying quantum computing to energy storage. Here we focus on computational materials design of batteries as a specific example.