A world-first quantum battery proof-of-concept from CSIRO is opening new pathways for ultra-fast, scalable energy storage with implications for manufacturing.
Australia’s national science agency is no stranger to long-horizon innovation, but its latest advance in quantum energy storage signals a potential step-change for manufacturing and industrial systems. In collaboration with RMIT University and the University of Melbourne, CSIRO researchers have developed the world’s first proof-of-concept quantum battery capable of completing the full energy cycle: charging, storing and discharging. The work, published in Light: Science & Applications, moves quantum batteries from theoretical physics into the realm of engineered devices.
At the centre of the effort is Dr James Quach, CSIRO’s quantum science and technologies science leader, who has spent years exploring how quantum mechanics could reshape energy systems. For manufacturers, the implications are faster charging, reduced downtime, and new approaches to powering equipment and processes. While still at a very early stage, the prototype provides a tangible foundation for what could become a transformative industrial technology.
“My ultimate ambition is a future where we can charge electric cars much faster than fuel petrol cars, or charge devices over long distances wirelessly,” Quach said. “Our findings confirm a fundamental quantum effect that’s completely counterintuitive: quantum batteries charge faster as they get larger. Today’s batteries don’t function like that.”
Rethinking energy storage fundamentals
At its core, a quantum battery is still a battery – an energy storage device – but one that operates under a fundamentally different rulebook. Conventional batteries rely largely on chemical reactions governed by classical physics, which impose limits on charging speed, efficiency and scalability. Quantum batteries, by contrast, harness phenomena such as superposition and entanglement, enabling behaviours that defy conventional expectations.
One of the most striking of these behaviours is the relationship between size and charging time. In traditional systems, larger batteries take longer to charge, a constraint that shapes everything from consumer electronics to factory-scale energy systems. CSIRO’s work confirms the opposite can be true in the quantum realm, a finding with direct relevance to manufacturing environments where large-scale energy storage is critical.
To move beyond theory, the CSIRO-led team constructed multiple quantum battery prototypes with varying capacities, allowing them to experimentally validate long-standing predictions. By charging these devices and measuring their performance, the researchers confirmed that charging time decreases as the number of molecules increases, following a precise quantum scaling relationship.
This experimental validation is more than an academic milestone; it represents a shift towards manufacturable quantum energy systems. For industries reliant on high-throughput production, where energy availability directly affects output, the ability to rapidly charge larger systems could reshape operational design and efficiency benchmarks.
“We built a number of quantum batteries with varying capacity and we found that the time it took to charge indeed scaled as one on the square root of N, where N is the number of molecules in the battery,” Quach said.
The latest prototype goes further still, addressing a key limitation in earlier experimental systems. Previous demonstrations of quantum batteries focused primarily on charging dynamics, without fully integrating energy extraction. CSIRO’s device completes the loop, demonstrating that stored energy can be discharged as usable electric current.
This full-cycle capability is essential for real-world manufacturing applications, where energy storage systems must integrate seamlessly with machinery, robotics and plant infrastructure. The prototype achieves this using a multi-layered organic microcavity design, wirelessly charged via a laser, and validated through advanced spectroscopy techniques.
“What’s different with this one is that it does the full cycle,” Quach said. “It can charge, store energy, and discharge in the form of useful energy. This is the first prototype that does the whole full cycle.”
Implications for manufacturing systems
Beyond the laboratory, the potential industrial applications of quantum batteries are already being mapped out. Two defining characteristics – hyper-fast charging and wireless energy transfer – could alter how manufacturing systems are powered and maintained. In high-volume production environments, where downtime is costly, the ability to charge equipment continuously or on the move could remove one of the most persistent operational bottlenecks.
The concept extends beyond factory floors to logistics and transport systems that underpin manufacturing supply chains. Electric vehicles, automated guided vehicles and drones could all benefit from on-the-go charging, reducing reliance on fixed infrastructure and enabling more flexible operations.
“If we can scale it up then what that would mean in terms of manufacturing and industrial size systems is the way in which things are charged,” Quach said. “You wouldn’t need to stop production to charge it up, it would just charge on the go.”
Wireless charging introduces an additional layer of flexibility, particularly for distributed or hard-to-access systems. In manufacturing contexts, this could support autonomous systems operating across large facilities, or equipment in hazardous environments where manual intervention is limited. The same principle applies to aerial and mobile platforms, offering new possibilities for continuous operation.
Such capabilities align closely with the broader shift towards smart manufacturing, where interconnected systems, automation and real-time optimisation depend on reliable, adaptable energy solutions. Quantum batteries, if successfully scaled, could become a key enabler of this transition.
“The other property is that it’s charged wirelessly with a laser, so you can achieve remote charging,” Quach said. “If we put a quantum battery on the drone, you could charge it remotely. It wouldn’t need to stop to replace its battery or charge up again.”
Despite the promise, engineering and manufacturing challenges remain before quantum batteries can move from prototype to production. Chief among these is scale: current devices operate at a microscopic level, requiring new approaches to assembly, integration and mass manufacturing to achieve practical capacity.
Equally important is extending energy storage duration. While the prototype demonstrates rapid charging and favourable retention characteristics – holding energy for orders of magnitude longer than the charging time – further improvements are needed to meet the demands of industrial applications.
“There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done in the R&D,” Quach said. “Right now, they’re very small. We need to put a lot of these things together and build a large capacity. The other thing that needs to be done is to increase the storage times.”
For manufacturers, these challenges represent both a hurdle and an opportunity. Scaling quantum battery technology will require expertise in advanced materials, precision fabrication and systems integration – areas where industrial partners can play a decisive role. CSIRO is actively seeking such collaborations, recognising that commercialisation will depend on aligning scientific innovation with manufacturing capability.
The role of industry partners is expected to extend beyond funding, encompassing design input, application development and co-engineering of production-ready systems. This collaborative approach reflects a broader trend in advanced manufacturing where innovation ecosystems bridge research and industry.
Room temperature advantage
One factor working in favour of manufacturability is the prototype’s ability to operate at room temperature. Unlike many quantum technologies, such as quantum computers, which require cryogenic environments, quantum batteries are more compatible with existing industrial conditions. This reduces integration complexity and broadens the range of potential applications.
“The fact that they work at room temperature means that they are sufficiently robust to interface with conventional technology,” Quach said. “It really increases its applicability to power macroscopic devices.”
Pathway to industrial adoption
Looking ahead, the pathway to commercial deployment is likely to unfold in stages. Initial applications are expected to focus on supporting quantum technologies themselves, including quantum computers, where quantum batteries could address existing limitations in scalability and performance. From there, the technology could expand into smaller-scale electronics before hopefully one day reaching larger systems such as electric vehicles and industrial equipment.
This phased approach mirrors the evolution of many advanced manufacturing technologies, where early niche applications pave the way for broader adoption. It also underscores the importance of continued R&D and industry engagement to bridge the gap between concept and commercial reality.
Timelines remain uncertain, as is often the case with emerging technologies at the intersection of physics and engineering. However, progress is already underway, including the development of a quantum battery-powered chip as a further proof of concept. For manufacturers watching the space, the message is clear: while widespread adoption may still be years away, the foundational work is advancing.
“While there’s still much work to be done in quantum battery research, we’ve made an important move towards realising the possibilities,” Quach said. “The next step is extending their energy storage time. If we can overcome that hurdle, we’d be that bit closer to commercially viable quantum batteries.”
In the context of global efforts to decarbonise industry and improve energy efficiency, quantum batteries represent a compelling, if still evolving, frontier. Their potential to redefine charging, storage and energy distribution could reshape manufacturing systems at every scale.
