These projects fall under the Complementary Plan for Quantum Communications, promoted by the Spanish Government and the Generalitat of Catalonia, which stems from the need to protect the economy and society from cyber threats. It also aims to support the European quantum industry and foster a new industrial sector with new companies in the digital and cybersecurity fields.
The Valencian Community, along with Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Castile and León, and Galicia, is participating in this Plan through 11 different projects led by the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the University of Valencia, the University of Alicante, and CEU-Cardenal Herrera University. The Valencian plan has a budget of approximately €1.8 million, 65% of which is provided by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, while the remaining 35% comes from the Regional Ministry of Education, Culture, Universities, and Employment.
Quantum communication: the future of communication
The coordinator of the Valencian Quantum Communication plan, José Capmany, explained that in the traditional model “information is encoded in bits, whose encryption leaves the data open to attack by experienced hackers” and added that in this context quantum communication “compensates for this vulnerability by sending encrypted messages taking advantage of the amazing properties of light particles: photons”
“When we send a message, the photons are able to become entangled with each other. In this way, if someone tries to enter the system, the photons break their link, the encrypted message is lost, and an alarm is triggered indicating an intrusion. Only the sender and receiver can read the information sent using quantum bits,” Capmany explained, highlighting the usefulness of this technology for protecting areas such as healthcare, electricity supply, and public services, which are often targeted by hackers.
The universities of the Valencian Community are at the forefront of quantum communication and are leading several innovative projects in this field. Along these lines, they are developing advanced hardware and innovative solutions to improve the performance and efficiency of these systems. A key aspect of these projects is the exploration of new techniques to optimize the reliability and security of information transmission.
From transmissions for satellite missions to wind energy
The projects included in the Valencian plan cover diverse topics, ranging from secure communications to the search for solutions that can be transferred to the business world. In this regard, CEU Cardenal Herrera University is carrying out the QUANTWIN project, which uses a digital twin to study the impact of erosion on the performance of wind turbines used for wind energy production. The project, which has the support of companies in the sector, integrates advanced mathematical models and quantum algorithms that optimize the simulation of complex processes.
The University of Alicante, for its part, is focusing on the NCC project, which aims to implement error-correcting codes to improve the reliability and efficiency of quantum communications. The University of Valencia is working on the EPICO, QMOL, and Q-DIMENSION projects, which aim to optimize quantum communications, making them faster, more secure, and applicable to various social, scientific, technological, and industrial sectors. They are also developing advanced hardware that will allow for more secure information transmission and are exploring its use in satellite missions.
The Polytechnic University of Valencia is leading several projects, including FinP-MTP-Q, PLATSinNx-Q, CUPIDO, Q-FACE, and QUANTUMABLE. These projects focus on creating more efficient devices using laser technologies and advancing high-quality interconnection to improve 5G communications and their integration with artificial intelligence.
A plan aligned with Europe
The Plan is aligned with key European initiatives in this area: Quantum Flagship and European Quantum Communications Infrastructure (EuroQCI), which aim to build a secure quantum communications shield across the European Union by developing cutting-edge infrastructure that protects the economy and society from cyber threats.
Furthermore, the quantum network enables other services, such as ultra-precise time signal transmissions and other quantum sensing applications and, in the future, communication between quantum computers.
