UK opens national quantum computing centre

The UK government has opened its National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) that will host 12 quantum computer systems.

The NQCC facility at Harwell in Oxfordshire will be home to 12 quantum computers, each designed to push the boundaries of what is possible with this emerging technology

The 4,000 square meter facility is a central part of the UK’s ten-year quantum programme, supported through an initial backing of £93m from the UKRI agency.

With over 70 staff, the Centre will also host an array of opportunities for students, including the world’s first dedicated quantum apprenticeship programme, 30 PhD studentships, summer placements, and crash courses for those in industry. The 12 quantum computers to be available to researchers and companies at the NQCC include systems with: 

• Spin qubits from Silicon Motion
• Trapped ion qubits from IonQ and Oxford Quantum Circuits
• Neutral atom systems from QuEra
• Photonic systems from ORCA
• Superconducting qubits from Rigetti

For example, at UKRI’s Quantum Hubs, researchers are already using quantum computers to build neural networks. The Centre will focus on areas such as energy grid optimisation to analyse vast amounts of data in real time to identify the most efficient ways to balance energy supply and demand, preventing power outages and minimising energy losses. Quantum computing can also improve AI, enhancing areas such as medical diagnostics and fraud detection, leading to better healthcare outcomes and more secure financial systems.

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“The National Quantum Computing Centre marks a vital step forward in the UK’s efforts to advance quantum technologies. By making its facilities available to users from across industry and academia, and with its focus on making quantum computers practically useable at scale, this Centre will help them solve some of the biggest challenges we face, whether it’s delivering advances in healthcare, enhancing energy efficiency, tackling climate change, or inventing new materials,” said UK Science Minister Lord Vallance (above at the opening).

Recent initiatives include £100m for new quantum research hubs and funding for five Quantum Centres for Doctoral Training, which will train over 300 PhDs in the next four years.

delivered through the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). UKRI has also invested a further £50 million, including through the Technology Missions Fund.