Governments around the world are increasingly focused on building national energy systems that help tackle climate change, improve security of supply and provide more stable, lower energy prices.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, will be at heart of any solution. The UK has a successful and well-established renewable energy sector and wind power was the largest source of electricity generation in 2024 for the first year ever, accounting for 30%. However, these technologies still face a number of planning, logistical and operational challenges that must be overcome if we are to reap the full benefit from them.
Quantum computing could have a revolutionary role in addressing such challenges, and to this end the National Quantum Computing Centre recently announced the award of funding as part of its Proof of Concept Call in Quantum Computing.
As one of the successful applicants, Frazer-Nash is leading a consortium comprising ORCA Computing Ltd, The Crown Estate and the National Quantum Computing Centre to conduct proof of concept studies investigating quantum optimisation solutions for the renewable sector.
Quantum technology’s potential to disrupt and revolutionise lies in the fact that the physical laws that govern quantum systems differ from those seen in the everyday world. By making use of purely quantum phenomena, researchers have constructed algorithms that are much faster than their classical counterparts. The theoretical benefits from these algorithms have been known for more than 30 years, but real-world devices are only now starting to approach showing this promised quantum advantage.
What kinds of challenges could quantum help us address? They could include how we can maximise the power output or reduce the environmental impact of wind farms, improve energy storage technology, or optimise the logistics of constructing or maintaining large renewable installations. All of which could, ultimately, make our energy system work more efficiently and reduce the cost of bills.
This study will build on Frazer-Nash’s strong expertise in both renewables and in quantum technology where our work includes road-mapping and benchmarking, as well as application development in optimisation and quantum-hybrid machine-learning. The consortium will benefit from the technical expertise and domain knowledge respectively of ORCA Computing, a leader in the field of photonic quantum computing and quantum-enhanced generative AI, and The Crown Estate, which manages the seabed and much of the coastline around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and plays a major role in the development of the offshore wind energy industry in the UK.
