Iberdrola and Multiverse Computing announce successful pilot project to optimise the installation of batteries in the electricity grid
Iberdrola, one of the world's largest clean energy companies, and Multiverse Computing, a world leader in value-based quantum computing solutions, have successfully carried out a pilot project in northern Spain to optimise the installation of grid-scale batteries, which will become increasingly important as the energy transition progresses.
As electricity grids integrate increasing amounts of renewable generation, electric vehicles, heat pumps and other distributed energy resources, battery storage provides an increasingly important service to ensure grid stability.
Multiverse's solution uses quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms to select the optimal number, type and location of batteries in the grid. This reduces the costs of adding batteries to the grid and increases its performance.
i-DE, Iberdrola's distribution company in Spain, oversaw the pilot project, which focused on the Guipúzcoa grid (Basque Country, Spain). During the ten-month pilot project, some quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms matched or outperformed classical benchmarks, maximising grid reliability and voltage control.
The project has been developed under the umbrella of Iberdrola's Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub, as well as part of the Gipuzkoa Quantum Programme.
‘With the power of quantum computing, private and public institutions can meet sustainability goals and save on fixed and variable costs,’ said Enrique Lizaso Olmos, CEO of Multiverse Computing.
‘We are proud to support the development of more reliable and cost-effective green energy in Spain together with a world-leading clean energy provider like Iberdrola,’ he said.
Estibaliz Goñi, i-DE's Process and Technology Director, also said: ‘The results of this pilot project are encouraging and we will continue to analyse the deployment of this technology. There are many challenges to overcome to ensure that we have the smart and robust grids needed to achieve the energy transition, and innovations like this will help us to achieve this’.
According to a recent report by the IEA (International Energy Agency), meeting climate targets will require the addition or refurbishment of 80 million kilometres (~50 million miles) of electricity grids by 2040, equivalent to the entire existing global grid. Another report by the same agency also showed that the investment ratio between renewables and grids has been unbalanced in recent years. In the past, the ratio of investment between renewables and grids was $1:0.4cts; however, to meet climate targets, that ratio needs to be adjusted to at least 1:1.
The project
To achieve the goal of this 10-month pilot project, quantum annealing and classical hardware were used to test the optimisation solution. This algorithm was tested on grids of different sizes. This solution was first analysed on small-scale grids and then on larger ones, such as the one in Gipuzkoa.
To address the need for more resilient and cost-effective electricity grids, Multiverse Computing and Iberdrola implemented quantum and quantum-inspired solutions with the aim of achieving grid battery improvements in three key areas:
- Initial cost: optimise the cost of purchasing and installing multiple batteries in the grid.
- Voltage control: maximising the ability to maintain voltage levels at grid nodes.
- Reliability: minimise the impact to customers of power outages on the grid.
To optimise the network, the project team used Singularity, Multiverse Computing's platform for quantum and quantum-inspired software. Quantum-inspired techniques use knowledge and mathematical models from quantum physics to develop better classical algorithms. The tool enables users with no experience in quantum computing to use quantum optimisations to increase the speed and accuracy of solutions to complex problems in the energy sector and other industries.
Collaborations
This pilot project was developed under the umbrella of Iberdrola's Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub. This innovative space, located in Bilbao, is a world-class smart grid innovation and knowledge centre. It acts as a platform for collaboration, bringing together Iberdrola's technological experience with more than 100 associated entities and companies. The hub focuses on addressing the challenges of the energy transition, including digitisation, data management and adaptability to new consumption models such as electric mobility and self-consumption. Its mission is to lead the energy transition by fostering talent and accelerating innovation in smart grids.
The project, initially announced for 2023, is also part of the Gipuzkoa Quantum Programme in the Basque Country, a quantum computing hub and smart grid innovation centre, which offers financial incentives for collaborations between quantum startups and potential customers.