A new report claims that a coming revolution in quantum computing could improve a range of technologies and help combat climate change.
How Quantum Computing Will Change Our World | Intel
The report from consulting firm McKinsey & Company says that by harnessing the mysterious power of quantum mechanics, computers could find everything from better batteries to ways to capture carbon emissions. The firm predicts that usable quantum computers could arrive by the end of the decade.
“Achieving the net-zero emissions goal that countries and some industries have committed to will not be possible without massive advances in climate technology that are not feasible today,” the report’s authors wrote. “Even the most powerful supercomputers available today cannot solve some of these problems. Quantum computing could be a game-changer in those areas.”
According to the McKinsey report, developments driven by quantum computing could help transform the economy in ways that would improve the environment. For example, new techniques could reduce methane emissions from agriculture, make cement production emissions-free and develop better renewable solar technology.