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Quantum Computers: Power Hogs of the Future?
8 Jan
Summary
- Future quantum computers may consume vast energy, exceeding supercomputers.
- Estimates show some designs needing up to 200 megawatts of power.
- Diverse designs lead to wide energy consumption spectrum for FTQCs.
The pursuit of powerful fault-tolerant quantum computers (FTQCs) may lead to unprecedented energy demands, potentially dwarfing those of today's supercomputers. While current quantum machines are limited in qubit count and prone to errors, the path to utility-scale FTQCs presents a formidable engineering hurdle with various competing designs.
Olivier Ezratty's preliminary estimates, presented in December, reveal a broad spectrum of projected energy consumption for FTQCs, ranging from 100 kilowatts to as much as 200 megawatts for the most power-hungry designs. This is a stark contrast to the 20 megawatts used by the world's fastest supercomputer, El Capitan. The significant variation stems from differing qubit technologies, cooling requirements, and control systems.
Experts like Oliver Dial from IBM anticipate their large-scale FTQC will need just under 2 or 3 megawatts, a fraction of hyperscale AI data centers. However, the industry urgently needs to develop standards for reporting energy footprints. Ezratty's ongoing work at the Quantum Energy Initiative aims to better understand and ultimately reduce the energetic demands of these future computational giants.
