Australian scientists have made a significant leap forward in energy storage technology with the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery. Similar to conventional batteries, this quantum version charges, stores and discharges energy—and is the first to do so.
Fully functioning quantum batteries don't yet exist, but they could transform how we store and use energy in the future. The research by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, and collaborators RMIT University and the University of Melbourne, has been published in Light: Science & Applications.
Dr. James Quach, quantum science and technologies science leader at CSIRO, led the team that engineered the prototype.
"My ultimate ambition is a future where we can charge electric cars much faster than fuel petrol cars, or charge devices over long distances wirelessly," Dr. Quach said. "Our findings confirm a fundamental quantum effect that's completely counterintuitive: quantum batteries charge faster as they get larger. Today's batteries don't function like that," he said.
"The research validates the exciting potential of quantum batteries for unprecedented efficient and rapid energy storage."
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