This work explores the use of variational quantum algorithms to optimize energy distribution among users in energy communities, using real data from a community lab. This requires integrating various energy sources, storage solutions, and the ability to respond to variations in demand within energy systems, while maintaining the capacity to adapt to the variability of renewable energy sources. Given the increasing complexity as the problem size grows and the limitations of classical computing methods in addressing it, we study an approach that models the problem using QUBO and solves it applying quantum optimization algorithms. Our analysis includes a comparative study of two variational techniques, QAOA and VQE, and the implementation of the former on Qmio, an actual superconducting quantum processor. Although deploying QAOA on Qmio required specific adaptations to the hardware, we were able to achieve a shift of the probability distribution towards lower-energy solutions without error mitigation techniques, which highlights both QAOA’s potential and the intrinsic challenges of quantum optimization.
This work explores the use of variational quantum algorithms to optimize energy distribution among users in energy communities, using real data from a community lab. This requires integrating various energy sources, storage solutions, and the ability to respond to variations in demand within energy systems, while maintaining the capacity to adapt to the variability of renewable energy sources. Given the increasing complexity as the problem size grows and the limitations of classical computing methods in addressing it, we study an approach that models the problem using QUBO and solves it applying quantum optimization algorithms. Our analysis includes a comparative study of two variational techniques, QAOA and VQE, and the implementation of the former on Qmio, an actual superconducting quantum processor. Although deploying QAOA on Qmio required specific adaptations to the hardware, we were able to achieve a shift of the probability distribution towards lower-energy solutions without error mitigation techniques, which highlights both QAOA’s potential and the intrinsic challenges of quantum optimization.
The efficient management of energy communities relies on the solution of the “prosumer problem”, i.e., the problem of scheduling the household loads on the basis of the user needs, the electricity prices, and the availability of local renewable energy, with the aim of reducing costs and energy waste. Quantum computers can offer a significant breakthrough in treating this problem thanks to the intrinsic parallel nature of quantum operations. The most promising approach is to devise variational hybrid algorithms, in which quantum computation is driven by parameters that are optimized classically, in a cycle that aims at finding the best solution with a significant speed-up with respect to classical approaches. This paper provides a reformulation of the prosumer problem, allowing to address it with a hybrid quantum algorithm, namely, Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), and with a recent variant, the Recursive QAOA. We report on an extensive set of experiments, on simulators and real quantum hardware, for different problem sizes. Results are encouraging in that Recursive QAOA is able, for problems involving up to 10 qubits, to provide optimal and admissible solutions with good probabilities, while the computation time is nearly independent of the system size.
Energy communities are collectives that manage their own production, distribution, and consumption of energy, usually from renewable sources. To increase efficiency and sustainability, the scheduling of the loads on the basis of the user needs, the electricity prices, the availability of local renewable energy and the battery storage capacity must be optimized. Quantum computing, leveraging principles like superposition and entanglement, offers new computational power for complex optimization tasks. This paper lays the basis for exploring the potential of quantum computing in optimizing the operation of energy communities by modeling the problem as a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) problem.
Quantum computing is emerging as a key tool for enhancing energy management, particularly in areas like resource allocation and renewable energy distribution. Although fault-tolerant quantum computers are still in development, current Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) technology shows promise for solving optimization problems using variational quantum algorithms. In this paper, the energy distribution problem for a community with one battery is solved using the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) and the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) in quantum circuit simulators. This proof of concept provides insights into their potential and limitations for real-world energy applications.
Abstract Combinatorial optimization models a vast range of industrial processes aiming at improving their efficiency. In general, solving this type of problem exactly is computationally intractable. Therefore, practitioners rely on heuristic solution approaches. Variational quantum algorithms are optimization heuristics that can be demonstrated with available quantum hardware. In this case study, we apply four variational quantum heuristics running on IBM’s superconducting quantum processors to the job shop scheduling problem. Our problem optimizes a steel manufacturing process. A comparison on 5 qubits shows that the recent filtering variational quantum eigensolver (F-VQE) converges faster and samples the global optimum more frequently than the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA), the standard variational quantum eigensolver (VQE), and variational quantum imaginary time evolution (VarQITE). Furthermore, F-VQE readily solves problem sizes of up to 23 qubits on hardware without error mitigation post processing.
In recent years, Variational Quantum Algorithms (VQAs) have emerged as a promising approach for solving optimization problems on quantum computers in the NISQ era. However, one limitation of VQAs is their reliance on fixed-structure circuits, which may not be taylored for specific problems or hardware configurations. A leading strategy to address this issue are Adaptative VQAs, which dynamically modify the circuit structure by adding and removing gates, and optimize their parameters during the training. Several Adaptative VQAs, based on heuristics such as circuit shallowness, entanglement capability and hardware compatibility, have already been proposed in the literature, but there is still lack of a systematic comparison between the different methods. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by analyzing three Adaptative VQAs: Evolutionary Variational Quantum Eigensolver (EVQE), Variable Ansatz (VAns), already proposed in the literature, and Random Adapt-VQE (RA-VQE), a random approach we introduce as a baseline. In order to compare these algorithms to traditional VQAs, we also include the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) in our analysis. We apply these algorithms to QUBO problems and study their performance by examining the quality of the solutions found and the computational times required. Additionally, we investigate how the choice of the hyperparameters can impact the overall performance of the algorithms, highlighting the importance of selecting an appropriate methodology for hyperparameter tuning. Our analysis sets benchmarks for Adaptative VQAs designed for near-term quantum devices and provides valuable insights to guide future research in this area.
The rapid evolution of quantum computing has introduced groundbreaking approaches to solving complex optimization problems, traditionally limited by classical methods. This talk explores the principles and applications of quantum optimization, with a focus on Variational Quantum Algorithms (VQAs). These algorithms, including the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) and Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), leverage hybrid quantum-classical systems to address challenges in diverse fields such as combinatorial optimization, quantum chemistry, and material design. Attendees will gain insights into the theoretical foundations of quantum computing, the operational mechanics of quantum circuits, and the integration of quantum programming tools like Qiskit. Practical examples and demonstrations will highlight how VQAs outperform classical methods in specific scenarios, offering a transformative perspective on optimization in the quantum era.