The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has announced a $30 million investment to launch the Quantum Computing for Computational Chemistry (QC3) program. This initiative aims to harness the potential of quantum computing to overcome current limitations in chemistry and materials science simulations, targeting breakthroughs in sustainable industrial catalysts, novel superconductors for more efficient electricity transmission, and improved battery chemistries.
The QC3 program will develop, optimize, and co-design quantum algorithms to solve complex energy-related challenges that are beyond the reach of classical computing. Each project team will focus on specific high-impact problems in chemistry or materials science that, if solved with scalable quantum solutions, could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions or deliver substantial energy benefits. The goal is to achieve a 100x performance improvement over classical methods or demonstrate a scalable path forward.
Projects will prioritize software optimization across the computational “stack,” integrating applications, software, and hardware to unlock quantum advantages. The initiative includes validating these quantum algorithms on available quantum computing hardware to ensure practical applicability in energy research, thus supporting ARPA-E’s broader mission to accelerate high-potential energy technologies.
Visit the ARPA-E eXCHANGE website for more information about QC3, including key guidelines, and read the QC3 program description. The deadline for initial submission of a concept paper is November 21, 2024 at 9:30 AM Eastern time. The deadline for submitting the full application is still TBD. For further details, refer to the original press release provided here.
October 24, 2024