Quantum sciences and technologies represent major technological breakthroughs and offer prospects in many fields. What could be the opportunities for decarbonising our economy? 

Quantum technologies: what exactly are we talking about? 

Basically quantum physics (i.e. the science of atoms and elementary particles), which describes the unique behaviour of very small particles at atomic and subatomic levels. The resulting technologies use the unique behaviour of particles at the atomic level to gather, process and send information.  

Quantum technologies are already finding applications in healthcare, finance and industry.  They may also prove useful in managing global challenges such as climate change and food security.  

Three main types of quantum technologies 

There are three main types of quantum technologies – quantum computing (calculation), quantum communication, and quantum metrology (detection) – all of which offer a particularly high transformative potential. 

Quantum computing can solve particularly complex or even inextricable problems for today’s most advanced current computers by transforming the way data is processed and calculated. According to estimates, quantum computers can shorten calculation times by a factor of a billion.  

Quantum communication makes use of the quantum properties of particles to encode and send information, enabling the creation of interconnected networks of quantum metrology and computing devices as well as enhancing digital security.  

Quantum metrology measures physical quantities such as time, magnetic fields and luminosity with unprecedented sensitivity and precision.  

The rise of quantum strategies 

In 2021, the National laboratory of metrology and testing (Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d’Essais – LNE) noted that “quantum technologies were beginning to spread beyond laboratories and now represented a crucial issue of sovereignty and competitiveness for all major scientific and technical nations”. Since then, several EU countries, including Finland, Spain, and France, have adopted a dedicated national strategy. For France, quantum computing “offers Europe an opportunity to restore the balance of forces with the United States and Asia in the digital field.”** Internationally, the United States, Australia, India and the United Kingdom already have a quantum strategy, as do China and Japan. Europe adopted its own strategy in 2025.  

**Two-year quantum strategy milestone review (March 2023) 

The recognised advantages of quantum technologies for industry… 

With quantum technologies, industry can benefit from new simulation and optimisation tools with significant societal impacts (e.g.: health, environment, energy, etc.). These technologies offer the possibility of dynamically simulating molecules and their actions (thus opening up a new era of chemistry). They are used to accurately predict epidemic propagation. They can also help to optimise traffic systematically in real time.  

Ultimately, atomic ultra-cooling techniques should enable the precision of atomic clocks to be surpassed, while quantum sensors should provide new satellite-free navigation functions as well as unprecedented detection capabilities.  

… and for the ecological transition 

Quantum technologies are already offering possibilities in some areas of the ecological transition. For example, quantum detection provides precise tools that improve monitoring and modelling in the environmental and climate fields (e.g. magnetometers, gravitometers, pressure and temperature measurements, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution). It can also be used in transport and electrical systems.  

Through its capabilities, quantum computing could support the development of next-generation batteries, optimise the design of catalysts for green hydrogen, and make carbon capture more efficient. It could contribute to improving the efficiency of PV cells, optimise the output of wind farms or help deepen the understanding of fusion and advanced superconductivity. Quantum machine learning is also promising for optimising systems (power plants, networks, etc.).  

Finally, quantum communication offers significant potential for securing the networks that are crucial to power infrastructures and data flows.  

To date, the level of maturity of these technologies is still varied: while some detection technologies (gravitometers, magnetometers) are already at TRL 8-9(1), those related to communication are in the middle (7-8) and those related to computing (whether for materials science or for systems optimisation and energy forecasting) are at TRL 3-6. 

But what about decarbonisation? 

In light of these findings, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has explored how the emerging quantum ecosystem could help accelerate decarbonisation and bridge the current innovation gap to achieve climate neutrality (i.e. net zero emissions) by 2050. This is the subject of an analysis it published on 17 February (2). It should be noted that, in this analysis, decarbonisation is not taken as just accepting climate change mitigation but as a genuine strategic priority for increasing the EU’s energy independence, security and technological resilience. 

For the EEA, while current technologies and policies will make it possible to increase to 55% by 2030, they will not be sufficient to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Hence the need for new technological advances, particularly in sectors where decarbonisation is complex (heavy industry, long-distance transport, agriculture and high-temperature industrial processes). Quantum technologies could play an important role as accelerators here.  

However, while national strategies already in place systematically recognise the potential of these technologies for decarbonisation, the EU, which is investing significantly in quantum research (see Quantum initiative, Horizon Europe programme, etc.), does not have a coordinated strategy capable of explicitly linking quantum technologies with decarbonisation. While quantum projects conducted at European level include climate-related research, these are still scattered initiatives that, in addition, tend to focus mainly on environmental monitoring.  

For the authors of the paper, the European Commission’s proposal for a quantum law during 2026 would be an excellent opportunity to include decarbonisation in the EU’s quantum governance framework. In this respect, they propose making “quantum decarbonisation” a priority area for EU quantum research and infrastructure funding, on a par with cybersecurity. They also recommend implementing a “quantum for decarbonisation” initiative which, in addition to general quantum research under Horizon Europe, explicitly targets quantum computing for discovering materials in the field of green hydrogen, carbon capture and batteries. as well as quantum detection for environmental monitoring and climate forecasting and quantum-classical hybrid systems for energy grid optimisation.  

All this also implies that the future Quantum Law will link quantum innovation with current EU industrial policies and that coordination between players in quantum research, chemistry, materials science and climate and energy policy will be strengthened alongside joint training and education programmes. 

As can be seen, quantum technology, which is now considered as one of the key innovative technologies for the future of the EU, is particularly promising for the fundamental challenge of decarbonising our economy. It remains to be seen how all this will be coordinated. 

1) TRL – Technological Readiness Level: the TRL scale classifies technologies according to their level of technological maturity.  

2) “Quantum Technologies: Can They Boost the EU’s Decarbonisation?“, European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), February 2026.  

For further information: OECD report on Quantum Technologies