18–22 May 2026 • ICFO Auditorium • Castelldefels (Barcelona, Spain)

Quantum Energy Initiative Workshop

Name: Quantum Energy Initiative Workshop 2026
Start: 2026-05-18
End: 2026-05-22
Location: ICFO – The Institute of Photonic Sciences

The third Quantum Energy Initiative Workshop will happen at ICFO, Castelldefels (Barcelona, Spain) from the 18^th to the 22^nd of May 2026. Save the date !

Launched in August 2022, the Quantum Energy Initiative is fostering a worldwide community of experts willing to develop scientific approaches to evaluating and minimizing the physical resource costs of emerging quantum technologies. This requires the synergy of a broad range of expertises, from fundamental quantum physics to enabling technologies, from hardware to software, from research to industry.

Building on the strong foundations at the first workshop (Singapore, Nov 2023), and second workshop (Grenoble, Jan 2025), this third workshop will bring together highly renowned speakers of all these areas, to provide their vision on these exciting and essential questions. It will also leave time for discussions and crossed-fertilization to the build new methodologies and roadmaps.

Registration

Important update

Abstract submission is closed.
Capacity of the workshop is reached. In case of cancelations, registration in the waiting list remains open.

Free registration.

No fee is charged, but registration is required for planning (seating, catering, badges).
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email.

Invited Speakers

Natalia Ares, University of Oxford (UK)

Fernando Brandão, California Institute of Technology & AWS Center for Quantum Computing (USA)

James Q. Quach — CSIRO (Australia); Science Leader, Quantum Batteries team.

Gerard Milburn, National Quantum Computing Centre, NQCC (UK)

Juan Parrondo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)

Chris Langer, Quantinuum (USA)

Michael Vasmer, INRIA (France)

Arnau Riera, Qilimanjaro (Spain)

Ariane Soret, Quandela (France)

Nelly Ng, SPMS, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

Christiane Koch, Freie Universität Berlin (Germany)

Topics of the workshop

Research on energy or other resources in the following contexts:

Fundamental quantum devices: Energy, entropy or resources at the fundamental quantum level, quantum gates, generation and preparation of quantum resources, interconnect quantum functionalities.

Quantum hardware and enabling technologies: Macroscopic energy and entropy for quantum devices, implementations of cooling systems, control electronics, energy aware full‑stack computers etc.

Quantum algorithms and software: NISQ or large‑scale quantum computing, quantum communication protocols, resource optimization, error correction, compilation etc.

Hybrid HPC‑quantum, reservoir computing, etc: High‑performance computing (HPC) in hybrid with quantum technologies. Reservoir and Neuromorphic computing. Classical computing inspired by quantum algorithms. Other technologies that are hybrids of quantum and classical, etc.

Classical computing & classical information thermodynamics: resources in classical computing, fundamental bounds on classical information processing, etc.

Scientific & Organizing Committee

Coordination: Raja Yehia and Federico Centrone (ICFO, Barcelona)

Robert Whitney (Université Grenoble Alpes & CNRS)

Alexia Auffèves (Majulab, CNRS, Singapore)

Frederico Brito (USP/Brazil‑TII/UAE)

Olivier Ezratty (EPITA, Paris)

Mercè Latorre (ICFO, Barcelona)

Alimuddin Mir (ICFO, Barcelona)

Yasser Omar (University of Lisbon & Portuguese Quantum Institute)

More information to come. Stay tunned!

Venue & Travel

Address

ICFO – The Institute of Photonic Sciences
Mediterranean Technology Park (PMT)
Av. Carl Friedrich Gauss, 3
08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain
Tel.: (+34) 93 553 4002 · E-mail: secretariat@icfo.eu

ICFO is in the Parc Mediterrani de la Tecnologia (PMT), in the seaside town of Castelldefels, next to the Canal Olímpic and about ten minutes from the beach.

Open in Google Maps

Best option: Bus X95 (Barcelona ↔ Castelldefels)

Recommended: Take X95 from Barcelona (Plaça Catalunya / Rda. Universitat) to Castelldefels (La Muntanyeta area). It’s a direct, frequent express bus to Castelldefels.
It will pass in front of PMT/ICFO campus, go through a roundabout and then go back and stop in front of the campus.
Cross the street to reach the campus.
Always check live times before traveling. TMB is usually the best app but Google maps works as well.

X95 live times & map

By train (Rodalies RENFE)

R2 / R2 Sud to Castelldefels from Barcelona-Sants or Passeig de Gràcia (approx. 20–30 min).
Castelldefels station is about 1.5 km from the PMT area.

Plan with Barcelona Journey Planner

From Barcelona–El Prat (BCN) airport

Taxi: ~25–35 min to “ICFO, Av. Carl Friedrich Gauss 3, Castelldefels”.
Public transport: R2/R2 Sud trains or bus connections toward Castelldefels; check current schedules.

Tickets on the bus

You can buy a single ticket from the driver on these interurban buses.
Approximate price: €2.90 per single journey (non-integrated; valid only for that bus).
Important: Have small cash. Card payment is not always guaranteed.

Travel cards (Zone 1)

Barcelona, BCN Airport and Castelldefels (ICFO) are all in Zone 1 (integrated fare).
T-usual, 1 zone: €22.80 (2026), unlimited journeys for 30 consecutive days.
Personalised: requires ID/passport; non-transferable.
Buy at ticket machines or online via t-mobilitat.atm.cat.

Why you’ll like the venue

ICFO sits in a modern technology park with quick access to Barcelona and the Mediterranean coast. The campus is a short hop from long sandy beaches, sport facilities around the Canal Olímpic, and the Garraf natural area—great for an evening stroll after sessions. With frequent trains and the X95 express bus to Barcelona, getting in and out is simple.

Useful links

Accommodation

Recommended hotels near ICFO:

Hotel SB BCN Events ****
Ronda de Can Rabadà, 22-24, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 64 62 30
Website · ~12 min walk

MASD Mediterráneo Hotel & Apartments ***
Passeig Marítim, 50, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 64 72 00
Website · ~16 min walk

Hotel Canal Olímpic ***
Carrer de la Ginesta, 13, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 36 06 08
Website · ~9 min walk

Hotel 170 **
Passeig del Pitort, 170, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 64 55 09
Website · ~8 min walk

Hotel ibis Castelldefels **
Passeig del Ferrocarril, 342, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 34 21 75
Website · ~12 min walk

Hotel Flora Parc ***
Avinguda de la Constitució, 44, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 36 19 90
Website · ~18 min walk

Apartment Denis Playa
Carrer de l'Estrella de Mar, 1, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 65 28 31
Website · ~33 min walk

Hotel 139 *
Passeig de la Marina, 139, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 933 15 73 45
Website · ~25 min walk

Hotel Bel Air ****
Passeig Marítim, 169, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 65 16 00
Website · ~26 min walk

Hotel 153 ***
Passeig de la Marina, 153, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 932 50 62 48
Website · ~27 min walk

Hotel Playafels ****
Playa Ribera de San Pedro, 1-9, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 65 12 50
Website · ~31 min walk

Hotel Ciudad de Castelldefels ***
Passeig de la Marina, 212, 08860 Castelldefels · +34 936 65 19 00
Website · ~30 min walk

Quantum Energy Initiative Workshop

Registration

Invited Speakers

Topics of the workshop

Scientific & Organizing Committee

External links

Venue & Travel

Accommodation

Sponsors

Contact