July 16, 2025
Energy powers everything. Right now, the entire sector is working to deliver it more efficiently, more securely, and with less impact on the planet. To get there, utilities and energy companies are turning to tools that can help manage complexity in smarter ways. One of the most promising? Quantum technology.
Where Quantum Fits
Quantum computing doesn’t replace the systems already in place. Instead, it opens new ways to model energy systems, find efficiencies, and respond faster to change. These tools are especially helpful in solving the kinds of large, multi-variable problems that define the energy industry.
Here are a few use cases already gaining traction:
- Grid Optimization: Quantum algorithms can help improve how energy is distributed across power grids, making delivery more efficient and reducing energy loss.
- Energy Storage and Materials: By simulating molecular behavior, quantum platforms help researchers identify better materials for batteries, solar panels, and other clean energy technologies.
- Smart Grid Security: With the rise of cyberattacks, protecting infrastructure is critical. Quantum encryption offers new ways to safeguard smart grid systems from interference.
- Carbon Capture and Utilization: Quantum tools support the design of more effective materials for removing carbon from the atmosphere and reusing it in cleaner industrial processes.
- Forecasting Renewables: Because quantum systems can model uncertainty at scale, they may help improve predictions about when and how much solar and wind energy will be available.
Each of these applications brings potential benefits: lower emissions, higher system reliability, and better returns on infrastructure investment.
Why It Matters in South Carolina
The state’s energy needs are rising alongside its population and manufacturing output. At the same time, grid resilience and clean energy goals are becoming bigger priorities. Quantum tools give energy providers a way to think more precisely about how and when to deliver power and how to modernize the systems that support it.
South Carolina is already home to key energy producers and research institutions exploring new energy models. With the right pilot programs and partnerships, the state can help shape the next generation of energy innovation.
For Energy Leaders Ready to Explore
If you work in South Carolina’s energy sector or support it in a policy, research, or technology role, here are three ways to get started with quantum:
- Identify a Use Case with High Impact
Focus on a challenge you already measure, like grid efficiency, energy forecasting, or battery materials. Work with a quantum partner to explore how next-generation tools might improve your outcomes. - Engage with Regional Expertise
Universities and research centers in South Carolina are already studying quantum science and energy innovation. SC Quantum can help you connect with people and programs that bring both together. - Review Your Infrastructure
Quantum solutions often work alongside existing platforms for AI, simulation, or cybersecurity. Assessing your current systems is a good step toward preparing for what’s next.
Partnering to Lead
Progress in the energy sector will depend on collaboration. Industry, academic institutions, and public agencies all play a role in shaping solutions that serve the state’s long-term energy needs. When these groups work together, innovation becomes more accessible and more impactful for communities across South Carolina.
SC Quantum helps make those connections. By bringing partners together, we support the shared work of building a stronger, more resilient energy future.
Curious about where to start? Contact SC Quantum.
Dave Alsobrooks
Director of Communications, SC Quantum
dalsobrooks@scquantum.org