The European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) is procuring a new photonic quantum computer, EuroQCS-France, in France. The system will be hosted by GENCI and operated at TGCC, both French national computing centers. The quantum computer will be integrated with the GENCI supercomputer Joliot-Curie and available to a wide range of European users. This is EuroHPC’s first initiative to procure quantum computing hardware directly. The system’s total cost is EUR 11.4 million, co-funded by EuroHPC JU and France. The deadline for tender applications is 7th March 2024.
EuroHPC JU Initiates Procurement for a New Quantum Computer in France
The European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) has initiated a tender to install a new quantum computer, the EuroQCS-France. This photonic quantum computer will be situated in France and is expected to provide at least ten physical qubits. The system will be hosted by GENCI (Grand Equipement National de Calcul Intensif, France), and will be installed and operated at TGCC (Très Grand Centre de calcul du CEA (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, France)), one of the three national computing centres operated by CEA in France. This quantum computer will be integrated with the GENCI supercomputer Joliot-Curie.
Broad Accessibility and Application of the EuroQCS-France Photonic System
The EuroQCS-France photonic system will be accessible to a diverse range of European end-users, including the scientific community, industry, and the public sector. It will facilitate the exploration of various hybrid HPC-Quantum Computing workloads for topics such as electromagnetic simulation, structural mechanics, engine combustion, material simulation, meteorology and earth observation. This forthcoming infrastructure will support the development of a wide range of applications with industrial, scientific, and societal relevance for Europe, enhancing the capabilities of the European supercomputing infrastructure.
EuroHPC JU’s First Quantum Computing Hardware Procurement Initiative
The acquisition and integration of quantum computers into existing HPC data centers mark EuroHPC’s first initiative in directly procuring quantum computing hardware. This hardware will be owned by the EuroHPC JU. In November 2023, the EuroHPC JU also initiated a call for proposals on European Quantum Excellence Centres (QECs) to establish knowledge hubs for quantum computing, thereby promoting the development of a quantum computing ecosystem. The call is open until 14 May 2024. To complement the upcoming quantum infrastructure, additional calls targeting the development of hybrid HPC-Quantum Computing middleware technologies and hybrid algorithms and applications are planned for the near future, ensuring a holistic approach for the development of a European quantum computing ecosystem.
EuroQCS-France Consortium and Funding Details
The EuroQCS-France consortium is led by GENCI as the hosting entity and CEA as the hosting site, with the University Politehnica of Bucharest (UPB, Romania), Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ, Germany) and Irish Centre for High- End Computing (ICHEC, Ireland) as members. The system’s total cost is EUR 11.4 million and will be co-funded by the EuroHPC JU and France. The deadline for submission of an application to tender is 7 March 2024 at 16:00.
Background and Future Plans of EuroHPC JU
On 27 June 2023, the EuroHPC JU signed hosting agreements with six sites across Europe to host & operate EuroHPC quantum computers. This initiative offers a novel interpretation of quantum computers as accelerator platforms in genuine HPC environments. The foreseen integration will require essential R&D developments towards a hybrid software stack managing both HPC and quantum computing workloads. During the integration work, all Hosting Entities will collaborate closely with European Standardisation bodies. These six quantum computers will come on top of two analogue quantum simulators currently being deployed within the EuroHPC JU project HPCQS which are based on neutral atoms, supplied by the French company PASQAL. HPCQS is the first initiative towards a federated European quantum computing infrastructure, tightly integrating two quantum computers, each controlling 100-plus qubits in the Tier-0 HPC systems Joliot-Curie of GENCI and the JUWELS modular supercomputer at the Julich Supercomputing Centre (JSC).
