CSIRO builds first functional quantum battery prototype
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- CSIRO built a prototype quantum battery that completes a full charge‑discharge cycle, using a laser to charge wirelessly and then discharge stored energy.
- Dr James Quach said the prototype charges in femtoseconds and holds energy for nanoseconds, a six‑order‑of‑magnitude gap between charging speed and storage duration.
- Prof Andrew White (University of Queensland) called the work a “nice piece of work” proving quantum batteries are more than theory, but warned they are not ready for electric vehicles and will likely first benefit quantum computers.
- CSIRO reported the prototype’s capacity is only a few billion electron volts, far too small for practical devices, and identified extending storage time as the next research priority.
- Quantum battery leverages collective effects, a property first demonstrated by the team in 2022, where larger arrays charge faster, contrasting conventional batteries whose charge time grows with size.
Why it matters: The breakthrough gives CSIRO and quantum‑tech developers a demonstrable fast‑charging energy source, but the prototype’s minuscule capacity and nanosecond storage mean immediate commercial use is unlikely, limiting benefits to research and future quantum‑computer power supplies. Thus, while the proof‑of‑concept validates the physics, investors and manufacturers must wait for larger‑scale designs before any market impact.
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