University of Sydney spin-out Emergence Quantum is partnering with data center giant AirTrunk to apply cryogenic technology, typically reserved for quantum computers, to mainstream data center cooling. The collaboration aims to simultaneously reduce cooling water consumption and enable gigawatt-scale energy storage for better renewable energy utilization.
Emergence Quantum co-founder and CEO Professor David Reilly notes, “It’s been understood for decades that computers run significantly faster and more efficiently in the cold, but there are challenges and costs to cooling that have so-far limited this approach to niche applications.” This shift, driven by the increasing scale of data centers and shrinking transistor sizes, signals what Emergence Quantum calls the.
Cryogenic Cooling for Enhanced Data Centre Performance
Australia possesses unique advantages for scaling cryogenic technologies, stemming from its established expertise in large-scale cryogenic liquefied natural gas (LNG) and emerging liquid hydrogen capabilities, alongside abundant renewable energy sources and decarbonisation experience. Emergence Quantum and AirTrunk are now aiming to translate this national strength into a new generation of data centre cooling, moving beyond simply supporting quantum computing to address the escalating energy demands of conventional processors. The partnership will focus on reducing data centres’ cooling water needs while simultaneously enabling gigawatt-scale power storage, a dual benefit not commonly pursued in data centre sustainability initiatives.
Professor Thomas Ohki, co-founder and CTO of Emergence Quantum, explains that cryogenic data centres are no longer a distant prospect. “For us, cryogenic data centres are an inevitable reality, this cooling technology is needed for high-speed efficient silicon chips, superconducting logic, and ultimately quantum computing. All flavours of qubits need cryogenics one way or another,” he stated. This shift is driven by the increasing density of transistors and the resulting heat dissipation challenges; the scale of modern data centres now makes previously impractical cryogenic solutions economically viable.
Emergence Quantum designs and manufactures the cryogenic control systems and electronics essential to connect qubits to classical software stacks, a capability directly applicable to managing heat in high-performance computing environments. The company’s first commercial products, released in late 2025, focused on scaling quantum systems, but the technology is readily adaptable to conventional data centre cooling.
The collaboration between Emergence Quantum and AirTrunk extends beyond thermal management, aiming to integrate cryogenic technologies with renewable energy storage. Gigawatt-scale storage will allow data centres to better utilize intermittent renewable sources, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering carbon footprints. This ambition is supported by a $100 million donation to the University of Sydney from the Khuda Family Foundation, established by AirTrunk Founder and CEO Robin Khuda, demonstrating a commitment to fostering innovation in this space.
Professor Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, highlights the significance of this local expertise. “This ambitious partnership between AirTrunk and Emergence Quantum promises to bring about a new phase in data centre technology, one that is focused on hitting environmental milestones,” he said. By combining expertise in quantum technologies, thermal engineering, and data centre architecture, the two companies aim to establish a new benchmark for sustainable and efficient data centre operations and enabling facilities and solidifying Australia’s position in AI, quantum, and clean technology.
It’s been understood for decades that computers run significantly faster and more efficiently in the cold, but there are challenges and costs to cooling that have so-far limited this approach to niche applications. The scale of data centres and tiny size of transistors today changes all that – the cryo-computing epoch has arrived.
Professor David Reilly, co-founder and CEO at Emergence Quantum
AirTrunk’s strategy now extends beyond traditional data center cooling, incorporating technologies initially developed for quantum systems to address broader efficiency challenges. This partnership, built on a foundation of expertise in both thermal engineering and quantum technologies, aims to establish techno-economic models demonstrating the performance benefits of cryo-data centers.
For us, cryogenic data centres are an inevitable reality – this cooling technology is needed for high-speed efficient silicon chips, superconducting logic, and ultimately quantum computing. All flavours of qubits need cryogenics one way or another.
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