Eni, the Italian energy company, and PASQAL, a leader in neutral atoms quantum computing, declared their intention to cooperate in creating the next-generation high-performance computing (HPC) solutions for the energy industry.

The fast-developing field of quantum computing uses the principles of quantum physics to solve problems that are too difficult for conventional computers. The use of quantum technology in the energy sector is a cutting-edge technique that might hasten the energy transition even more.

Eni is now researching a wide range of energy applications through its full-stack strategy, and PASQAL is developing distinctive and exclusive quantum algorithms to improve current HPC workflows for those applications (Upstream, Downstream, Chemicals and Renewables).

With the aim of providing entirely decarbonized goods and services by 2050, Eni invests in digital technologies to boost the productivity of its operations, promote the development of new businesses, and help the net reduction of GHG emissions.

“Digital and High-Performance Computing is the driver to make us faster, more efficient and more responsible. Our HPC system is a vital tool to explore the energy of the future,” said Dario Pagani, Eni’s Head of Digital & High-Performance Computing “PASQAL’s quantum computers will allow us to complement our conventional HPC workflows in areas such as optimization and machine learning and accelerate our research to create new solutions to the most pressing issues in the energy industry.”

This R&D partnership advances Eni’s 2021 series. An investment in PASQAL made through Eni Next, the company’s corporate venture capital vehicle, would help accelerate the transition of energy toward a zero-carbon future.

PASQAL is using this funding to manufacture its current 100 qubit commercial quantum computer and develop its next-generation systems. “Our collaboration with Eni will drive the energy industry’s most critical research forward,” said Georges-Olivier Reymond, CEO of PASQAL. “We’re honored to be selected by Eni, a world energy leader, to leverage quantum computing to address a wide range of challenges in the energy transition. We look forward to working with Eni to explore new applications and define new use cases for our transformative technology.”