Re: [arch-d] [E-impact] New IAB Technical Program: Environmental Impacts of Internet Technology (EIMPACT)

Hesham,

Quantum Computing is an interesting area that can provide many benefits. 
I'm unconvinced that it will provide a meaningful way to reduce the 
environmental impact of the Internet in a useful timeframe to meet 
emissions targets, however.

The IRTF has a long standing Quantum Internet Research Group.

Colin

On 25 Aug 2023, at 6:17, Hesham ElBakoury wrote:

> Thanks for IAB efforts to create this program which also looks into 
> IRTF
> research topics.
>
> There are two interesting research topics that I would like discus, 
> but I
> am not sure if they are within the scope of this IAB program. Both 
> topics
> are related to *Quantum Computing*.
>
> *1) Looking into the energy efficiency of quantum computing *is
> an interesting topic for *quantum Internet* research.  For example, 
> there
> is *Quantum Energy Initiative (QEI) 
> *[https://quantum-energy-initiative.org/]
> which provides a "*path towards energy-efficient, sustainable quantum
> technologies, and to possibly bring out an energetic quantum 
> advantage." *
>
> *IEEE* is interested in this topic, therefore, it has launched the 
> *IEEE*
> *P3329* project to look into it. You can access the website of this 
> project
> here: https://sagroups.ieee.org/qei/
>
> *2) Using Quantum Computing to fight against climate change and create 
> an
> energy efficient Internet* is another interesting research topic.
>
> Regarding this topic, please refer to the McKinsey report "*Quantum
> computing just might save the planet*"
> (
> https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/quantum-computing-just-might-save-the-planet?cid=eml-app).
> The report describes using different use cases how "*The emerging
> technology of Quantum Computing could revolutionize the fight against
> climate change, transforming the economics of decarbonization and 
> becoming
> a major factor in limiting global warming to the target temperature of
> 1.5°C. Exponentially more powerful machines could make possible major
> reductions in emissions, putting the goal of limiting global warming 
> within
> reach*."
>
> National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has this news release:
> https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2023/quantum-computers-can-now-interface-with-power-grid-equipment.html.
> "*With its head-spinning size and connections, the power system is so
> complex that even supercomputers struggle to efficiently solve certain
> optimization problems. But quantum computers might fare better, and 
> now
> researchers can explore that prospect thanks to a software interface
> between quantum computers and grid equipment.*
> *The link from quantum to grid—achieved by a team from the National
> Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with funding from the Department of
> Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and in
> collaboration with RTDS Technologies Inc., and Atom Computing—allows
> researchers to perform “quantum-in-the-loop” experiments. And this
> capability goes beyond just energy devices: With NREL’s Advanced 
> Research
> on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES)
> <https://www.nrel.gov/aries/index.html> , researchers can run quantum
> in-the-loop within highly realistic power systems. Quantum in-the-loop
> could be an important next step for using quantum computing to 
> optimize
> electric grid operations with the interconnection of increasingly 
> complex
> distributed energy resources*." You can find more details in this 
> paper
> https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10108354.  Using Quantum 
> Computing the
> same way can help optimize the energy usage of the Internet. For 
> example it
> can be used to calculate the schedule for Internert routers as 
> described in
> tvr.
>
> Comments?
>
> Thanks
> Hesham
>
> On Thu, Aug 24, 2023, 10:54 AM IAB Executive Administrative Manager <
> execd@iab.org> wrote:
>
>> A new IAB Technical Program has been formed on Environmental Impacts 
>> of
>> Internet Technology (EIMPACT). For additional information, please
>> contact the Program Leads.
>>
>> Environmental Impacts of Internet Technology (EIMPACT) Program
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Program Leads:
>>
>>  • Suresh Krishnan <suresh.krishnan@gmail.com> - IAB
>>  • Jari Arkko <jari.arkko@piuha.net>
>>
>> Mailing list:
>>
>>  • Address: e-impact@ietf.org
>>  • To subscribe: https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/e-impact
>>  • Archive: https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/e-impact/
>>
>> Program Page: https://datatracker.ietf.org/group/eimpact/about/
>>
>> Program Description:
>>
>> The E-Impact Program is a venue for discussing environmental impacts
>> and sustainability of Internet technology. Within this scope, the
>> program looks at trends, issues, improvement opportunities, ideas, 
>> best
>> practices, and subsequent direction of work related to Internet
>> technology, architecture, and operations, including visibility and
>> efficiency on energy and other environmentally-impacting attributes. 
>> In
>> particular, the group focuses on Internet architecture's role in 
>> these
>> topics.
>>
>> The program targets topics not yet progressed into concrete standards
>> or research efforts in the IETF or IRTF while also being a 
>> coordination
>> point for work across multiple WGs/RGs, and a venue to highlight
>> ongoing work in the IETF/IRTF as well as external SDOs. The program
>> will use the existing E-Impact mailing list [2] as the venue for
>> discussions.
>>
>> The program's progress and the quality of discussion may point to the
>> need to organize additional workshop(s) to continue the 2022 IAB
>> workshop on the Environmental Impact of Internet Applications and
>> Systems [1].
>>
>> The program may work on documents that analyze areas where Internet
>> technology faces challenges related to the program's topics or 
>> provide
>> architectural guidance. Potential examples of such documents include
>> ones that describe sustainable network architectures, and those that
>> document tradeoffs between environmental impacts and other
>> characteristics such as performance and availability. Publishing any
>> document as an RFC will be at the discretion of the IAB.
>>
>> The program intends to have regular virtual meetings along with
>> periodic hybrid meetings that are co-located with in-person IETF
>> meetings. The program is open to all interested participants, and its
>> meetings will be publicly announced.
>>
>> References:
>>
>>     [1] https://datatracker.ietf.org/group/eimpactws/about/
>>     [2] https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/e-impact
>>
>> --
>> E-impact mailing list
>> E-impact@ietf.org
>> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/e-impact
>>

> -- 
> E-impact mailing list
> E-impact@ietf.org
> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/e-impact