May 4, 2022
Reply announced today that it has implemented a Quantum Inspired Algorithm, that can be used on both Quantum and traditional computers, for Enel, one of the leading global operators in the electricity and renewable energy production sector. The innovative solution allows Enel to quickly identify the optimal allocation of maintenance activities for operating units distributed across the areas where it operates.
For Enel, which boasts a presence in over 30 countries around the world, a network of over 2.2 million kilometres and 74 million end users, it is essential to coordinate the crews and the allocation and planning of the objectives of the operating units scattered throughout the various territories to guarantee the highest level of service for its customers. Hence the need for operational planning that is as efficient as possible.
The solution developed by Reply is based on the QUBO (Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization) mathematical model and can be performed effectively by quantum hardware, known as Quantum Processing Units or QPU, as well as by classical hardware, known as Graphics Processing Unit or GPU.
Extracting the maximum potential of the GPUs was possible thanks to the MegaQUBO, accelerator, a software solution developed by Data Reply to speed up the implementation of Quantum Inspired Optimisation projects. MegaQUBO is a solution certified by Amazon Web Services for use on the AWS Cloud, through the “FTR - Foundational Technical Review” process, which ensures that the software adheres to AWS architectural best practices.
In addition to identifying the optimal allocation of activities, the algorithm created for Enel is also able to calculate the optimal travel routes to reach work destinations, minimising travel times and distances and maximising the time available for actual maintenance work. This leads to a significant increase in productivity and a substantial reduction in operating costs, as well as the corresponding environmental impact.
“Quantum computing makes it possible to solve challenges considered insurmountable until just a few years ago” comments Filippo Rizzante, CTO of Reply. “As we were able to successfully demonstrate based on our experience with Enel, the use of quantum algorithms to solve optimisation problems allows us to obtain significant benefits, not only in the quality of the results, but also in the reduction of processing times. At Reply, we are thus closely exploring different areas in which we can exploit the potential of quantum computing to obtain insights from extremely large and constantly updated databases.”
“The need to implement optimisation strategies on increasingly large territorial areas has correspondingly enhanced the complexity of the problem, to the point that a new and innovative approach was needed”, explains Fabio Veronese, Head of Infrastructure & Networks Digital Hub at ENEL. “The Quantum Inspired approach implemented together with Reply has made it possible to achieve significant and concrete results in the field, and is applicable to both known problems, as well as to new business contexts.”
Reply
Reply [MTA, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on the new communication channels and digital media. Through its network of highly specialised companies, Reply partners with major European corporations in the telecoms and media, industry and services, banking and insurance, and public administration sectors, to devise and develop business models built on the new paradigms of artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, digital media, and the Internet of Things. Reply’s services include: Consulting, Systems Integration, and Digital Services. www.reply.com
Data Reply
Data Reply is the Reply group company that specialises in Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and Quantum Computing. Thanks to multidisciplinary teams of specialists in Big Data Engineering, Data Science, Intelligent Process Automation, and Quantum & Accelerated Computing, Data Reply supports companies operating in different industrial sectors in their process optimisation journey, through the design and implementation of advanced Quantum Computing solutions and Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence models. www.data.reply.com
Enel
Enel is the largest European utility by ordinary EBITDA and is present in over 30 countries worldwide, producing energy with around 88 GW of installed capacity. Enel distributes electricity through a network of over 2.2 million kilometres, and with approximately 74 million corporate and domestic end users worldwide, the Group boasts the largest customer base among European competitors. Within the Enel Group, Enel Green Power is the largest private operator in the renewable energy sector in the world, with a managed capacity of over 46 GW from wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric plants in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Enel X, Enel’s global advanced energy services business line, is a world leader in demand response, with a total capacity of over 6.3 GW managed globally. The company has installed 110 MW of storage capacity and, in the electric mobility sector, over 100,000 charging points for public and private electric vehicles worldwide.