ORNL, IonQ Partner to Explore Quantum Computing Use in Advancing Power Grid Research

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory and quantum computing firm IonQ will be exploring the use of quantum technology to advance power grid technologies.

Under the collaboration, the two organizations will help businesses develop practical quantum hybrid applications that use classical and quantum resources.

The quantum computing company will be working under the GRID-Q project, the grid modernization initiative of the Department of Energy that provides quantum computers for testing innovative solutions for use in power grids, IonQ said.

Rima Alameddine, chief revenue officer at IonQ, said that the partnership with ORNL allows the company to contribute to modernizing the country’s power grid at a time when it plays a vital role in daily American life and protecting national security.

Apart from working with ORNL, IonQ also entered into a partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory to work on quantum networking research and application development. Under the partnership, the contractor installed two barium-based trapped-ion quantum computing systems at an AFRL New York facility to help with its research work.