Scenario-based stochastic optimization is commonly deemed as an effective method for the economic dispatch of a renewables-rich power system which features a massive number of widely dispersed renewable energy sources (RESs). However, it is rather computationally challenging to simulate RES uncertainties with high accuracy on classic computers, due primarily to the generation of massive RESs scenarios and the solution of pertinent optimization problems that are by nature NP-hard mixed-integer programs. To this end, we design a quantum-assisted scheme to accelerate the stochastic optimization for power system economic dispatch without losing accuracy. We first propose the unified quantum amplitude estimation to characterize RES uncertainties, thereby generating massive scenarios by a few qubits to reduce state variables. Then, strong Benders cuts are selected and formed under some specific scenarios so as to tune the solution scale of Benders master problem in the iterative process, all of which are implemented by customized quantum approximation optimization algorithms. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted on the modified IEEE 6-bus system to test the efficacy of the proposed quantum-assisted scheme.
Scenario-based stochastic optimization is commonly deemed as an effective method for the economic dispatch of a renewables-rich power system which features a massive number of widely dispersed renewable energy sources (RESs). However, it is rather computationally challenging to simulate RES uncertainties with high accuracy on classic computers, due primarily to the generation of massive RESs scenarios and the solution of pertinent optimization problems that are by nature NP-hard mixed-integer programs. To this end, we design a quantum-assisted scheme to accelerate the stochastic optimization for power system economic dispatch without losing accuracy. We first propose the unified quantum amplitude estimation to characterize RES uncertainties, thereby generating massive scenarios by a few qubits to reduce state variables. Then, strong Benders cuts are selected and formed under some specific scenarios so as to tune the solution scale of Benders master problem in the iterative process, all of which are implemented by customized quantum approximation optimization algorithms. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted on the modified IEEE 6-bus system to test the efficacy of the proposed quantum-assisted scheme.
Scenario-based stochastic optimization is a prevalent method for the economic dispatch of renewables-rich power systems. To reduce the time and space complexities for generating massive scenarios and solving pertinent mixed-integer stochastic optimization efficiently, quantum computing can provide critical assistance. To this end, we first propose the unified quantum amplitude estimation (UQAE) to generate massive scenarios with quadratic acceleration by a few qubits, after which the dimension of state variables embedded in the two-stage stochastic optimization also decreases exponentially. Then, by utilizing quantum-classical Benders decomposition, we accelerate the mixed integer master problem in the first stage on quantum processing units, while convex subproblems are solved on central processing units. Especially considering limited qubits in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum era, we propose to reduce the scale of master problem by scenario clustering and cut selection using the customized quantum approximation optimization algorithm (QAOA). Mathematically, we not only prove the decreases of complexities by UQAE-QAOA but also give the feasible ranges of penalty factors for transforming constrained problems into Ising models. Finally, we perform numerical experiments on modified IEEE systems to test the efficiency and accuracy of UQAE-QAOA, as well as the scalability of the designed quantum scheme.
The integration of high-penetration renewable energy introduces significant stochasticity and non-convexity into power system dispatching, challenging the computational limits of classical optimization. While Variational Quantum Algorithms (VQAs) on Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices offer a promising path for combinatorial acceleration, existing approaches typically treat the power grid as a "black box", suffering from poor scalability (barren plateaus) and frequent violations of physical constraints. Bridging these gaps, this paper proposes a Physics-Informed Hybrid Quantum-Classical Dispatching (PI-HQCD) framework. We construct a topology-aware Hamiltonian that explicitly embeds linearized power flow equations, storage dynamics, and multi-timescale coupling directly into the quantum substrate, significantly reducing the search space dimensionality. We further derive a noise-adaptive regularization mechanism that theoretically bounds the effective Lipschitz constant of the objective function, guaranteeing convergence stability under realistic quantum measurement noise. Numerical experiments on the IEEE 39-bus benchmark and a 118-bus regional grid demonstrate that PI-HQCD achieves superior economic efficiency and higher renewable utilization compared to stochastic dual dynamic programming (SDDP). Theoretical analysis confirms that this topology-aware design leads to an O(1/N) gradient variance scaling, effectively mitigating barren plateaus and ensuring scalability for larger networks. This work establishes a rigorous paradigm for embedding engineering physics into quantum computing, paving the way for practical quantum advantage in next-generation grid operations.
Abstract Uncertainty is fundamental in modern power systems, where renewable generation and fluctuating demand make stochastic optimization indispensable. In stochastic optimization, chance constraints enable the representation of uncertainty in renewable energy sources that affect the dispatch and commitment of bulk generation. This is commonly known as the chance-constrained unit commitment problem (UCP), which rapidly becomes computationally challenging as the number of scenarios grows. Quantum computing has been proposed as a potential route to overcome such scaling barriers. In this work, we evaluate the applicability of quantum annealing platforms to the chance-constrained UCP. Focusing on a scenario approximation, we reformulate the problem as a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) and solve it using D-Wave’s hybrid quantum–classical solver alongside the classical solver Gurobi. The hybrid solver proves competitive under strict runtime limits for large scenario sets (15,000 in our experiments), while Gurobi remains superior on smaller cases. QUBO reformulations have also been tested, but current annealers cannot accommodate stochastic UCPs due to hardware limits, and deterministic cases suffer from embedding overhead. Our study delineates where chance-constrained UCPs can already be addressed with hybrid quantum–classical methods, and where current quantum annealers remain fundamentally limited.
This study introduces a hybrid quantum-classical dispatching framework designed for power systems with high renewable penetration. The proposed method integrates a variational quantum algorithm with classical optimization to provide noise-resilient performance under realistic hardware constraints. Extensive numerical tests and a real-world case study demonstrate significant improvements in cost reduction, dispatch reliability, and robustness to device noise. The approach highlights the potential of near-term quantum computing to address critical challenges in renewable energy integration. The results bridge the gap between quantum algorithms and practical energy system operations, offering a pathway for sustainable and efficient power system management.
Uncertainty is fundamental in modern power systems, where renewable generation and fluctuating demand make stochastic optimization indispensable. The chance constrained unit commitment problem (UCP) captures this uncertainty but rapidly becomes computationally challenging as the number of scenarios grows. Quantum computing has been proposed as a potential route to overcome such scaling barriers. In this work, we evaluate the applicability of quantum annealing platforms to the chance constrained UCP. Focusing on a scenario approximation, we reformulated the problem as a mixed integer linear program and solved it using DWave hybrid quantum classical solver alongside Gurobi. The hybrid solver proved competitive under strict runtime limits for large scenario sets (15,000 in our experiments), while Gurobi remained superior on smaller cases. QUBO reformulations were also tested, but current annealers cannot accommodate stochastic UCPs due to hardware limits, and deterministic cases suffered from embedding overhead. Our study delineates where chance constrained UCPs can already be addressed with hybrid quantum classical methods, and where current quantum annealers remain fundamentally limited.
The rapid development of quantum computing has provided a ground-breaking tool for solving problems that are insurmountable on classical computers. In the power system domain, quantum computing is still in the nascent stage, with limited but ongoing studies. The Quantum Approximation Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) has been applied in solving several NPhard problems and can be further studied to address challenging problems in power systems. Key applications include contingency analysis, optimal power flow, and unit commitment, among others. With the significant integration of renewable energy, the intermittent nature of renewable energy introduces substantial volatility to the system. An overhead contingency analysis is required to evaluate the possible system outage scenarios, which will identify critical contingencies to maintain system stability. However, the contingency analysis is a prototypical NP-Hard problem, requiring substantial classical computation resources. In this work, QAOA is developed for theN−kcontingency analysis on line contingency as well as the general contingency scenarios, with the aim of minimizing the shedding of the power load while ensuring the power flow constraints. A tailored objective function is developed to encode theN−kcontingency condition as well as the power flow loss constraints into a problem Hamiltonian for QAOA computation. The developed method is verified on IEEE 9- and 14-bus systems compared with classical methods as the baseline. In addition, a QAOA parameter study including the number of QAOA parameters, the number of repetitions of the quantum circuits execution, and the number of iteration steps of the classical optimization algorithm, is conducted to offer insights for the parameter tuning under different problem sizes. This work is anticipated to establish a quantum framework for solving critical and complex power system problems in the Noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era.