Quantum computing firm D-Wave Systems will house its first quantum cloud-based system outside of North America at the Forschungszentrum Jülich Supercomputing Center in Jülich, Germany.

The move will give researchers in Europe access the company's quantum computers via its Leap Quantum cloud platform, rather than paying $15m for one of D-Wave's processors. Next year, Jülich will install D-Wave's upcoming Advantage quantum system.

Forschungszentrum Jülich is a large-scale national research facility in the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. The laboratories conduct research on the global challenges facing society.

Qubits... qubits everywhere

Debate still persists over D-Wave’s systems and whether they represent a ‘true quantum computer,’ although previous iterations, which have been bought by Google and Lockheed Martin, have found their use.

“D-Wave’s leap from 1000 qubits to 2000 qubits is a major technical achievement and an important advance for the emerging field of quantum computing,” Earl Joseph, IDC program VP for HPC, said.

“D-Wave is the only company with a product designed to run quantum computing problems, and the new D-Wave 2000Q system should be even more interesting to researchers and application developers who want to explore this revolutionary new approach to computing.”

Vern Brownell, D-Wave’s CEO, added: “We are the only company selling quantum computers, and our growing ecosystem of users and developers gives us the benefit of their practical experience as we develop products to solve real-world problems.

"While other organizations have prototypes with just a few qubits in their labs, D-Wave is delivering the systems, software, training, and services needed to build an industry.”