CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Two leading research and technological powerhouses in Tennessee are joining forces for a new effort focused on improving energy security and making quantum technology more available.
EPB of Chattanooga and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced the Collaborative for Energy Resilience and Quantum Science on Friday. It's a new research effort that will use Chattanooga's energy and communications infrastructure to develop technology and practices that improve the national power grid, while also helping commercialize quantum technology.
Over around ten years, EPB and ORNL have worked together on around 30 funded projects. The new research collaboration marks the latest in a series of developments from the organizations. Previous projects included using predictive algorithms to tell when energy equipment was likely to fail and rapidly deploying microgrids as a stopgap for periods of high energy demand or low supply.
Most of the quantum technology developed through the collaboration is expected to focus on cybersecurity, such as advanced cryptographic technology that protects information and infrastructure.
"Because both the public and private sector are investing billions to unlock the groundbreaking potential of this emerging industry, there are tremendous new opportunities for EPB and ORNL to join forces and advance quantum technology for deployment that transforms energy system resilience, reliability and security for customers," said a release about the collaboration.
It will specifically focus on four strategic goals, according to the release. Those goals are listed below.
- National leadership in quantum science and technology, including research breakthroughs that enable the distribution of quantum information over long distances, connection of diverse quantum technologies, including quantum computing for novel data analytics and simulation, commercialization in the supply chain, demonstrated improvements in business productivity, and U.S. leadership in the emerging global quantum economy.
- Energy security innovation, including research, development and deployment of novel quantum and digital technologies to create a next-generation grid energy distribution system that demonstrates improved service resilience and reliability and that is affordable and flexible, environmentally sustainable and cyber-secure for customers.
- Workforce development to support the quantum economy in East Tennessee, in partnership with K-12, community colleges, universities and businesses.
- Economic development that moves quantum technology from research to commercialization over 10 years, positioning East Tennessee to capture investment in the quantum economy and to create new companies in the quantum manufacturing supply chain and business productivity applications development.