The Liverpool City Region and the northwest are set to become a global centre for quantum technology, following a £51 million government investment in a new National Cryogenic Facility (NCF) at STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory.
The facility will provide the ultra-cold environments needed to test next-generation quantum technologies, working at temperatures close to absolute zero (-271°C).
These capabilities have already proven their value, recently attracting Silicon Valley-based PsiQuantum to Daresbury Laboratory [add link].
The NCF will now give UK companies the cryogenics infrastructure they need to scale quantum systems, something industry says depends on access to large-scale liquid helium cooling.
Far-reaching impact
While quantum computing is the first priority, the impact goes far beyond. Industries including healthcare, green aviation, and fusion energy are already planning to use the facility.
Potential applications include:
- Advancing fusion energy through testing of superconducting magnets
- Improving MRI systems through advanced materials testing
- Supporting the development of hydrogen-powered flight
The benefits are far-reaching. Quantum computing could accelerate the discovery of new medicines and cleaner energy technologies. Advances in fusion could strengthen energy security, lower costs, and drive economic growth.
Paul Vernon, Head of STFC Daresbury Laboratory, said:
“This new investment is a defining moment, not just for Daresbury Laboratory and the Liverpool City Region, but for the UK’s place in the global technology race.
“Truly game-changing infrastructure, the National Cryogenic Facility is possibly the first user facility of this kind. It unlocks quantum computing at scale and provides a major stepping stone for breakthroughs in renewable energy, healthcare, security, and other technologies that will shape our future.
“As the first national facility to be located here since the SRS closed in 2008, this landmark investment signals a bold new era, turbocharging innovation, attracting world-class talent and investment, putting the north west and the UK squarely at the heart of transformative science.”
Massimo Noro, Director of Business Development at STFC, said:
“The National Cryogenic Facility will give businesses access to world-class infrastructure and expertise to develop, test, and scale advanced technologies.
“Possibly the first open access large-scale cryogenic facility across the globe, it will accelerate innovation, reduce the risks of scaling up, and support the growth of existing companies across the region and beyond.
“At the same time, it will help build the UK’s future workforce through apprenticeships and advanced training, ensuring the next generation of scientists and engineers are equipped to lead in a rapidly evolving global technology landscape.”
Boosting regional quantum growth
This investment will also support the growth of existing quantum businesses in the region, giving them the capability to scale their technologies and strengthening the north west’s position as a leading hub for quantum innovation.
- Mark Thompson, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at PsiQuantum, said: “PsiQuantum is proud to have deep roots in the United Kingdom, which has long been a leading driver of expertise and innovation for quantum computing technologies. The Government’s new investments across the industry – especially in the critical infrastructure at the National Cryogenic Facility in Daresbury – reflect the important role of robust public-private partnerships in building up the infrastructure, innovation, and talent that will ultimately deliver utility-scale quantum computing and sharpen the UK’s tech leadership.”
- Matt Martin, Managing Director, Quantum Design Oxford, said:
“With the recent UK Government announcements of investment in quantum computing, we are delighted to see this corresponding commitment to a National Cryogenic Facility. This provides critical infrastructure essential for UK science and the scale-up of quantum computing. It has the potential to attract industrial partnerships and complement other UKRI facilities at the NQCC and Hartree Centre.”
- Dr Rajeeb Hazra, President and CEO of Quantinuum, said:
“The UK’s National Cryogenic Facility is an important step toward building the infrastructure that advanced quantum technologies will require as they scale. Reliable access to large-scale cryogenic capability will accelerate progress across the global quantum ecosystem. Initiatives like this demonstrate how continued investment in foundational infrastructure can support the growth of the quantum economy.”
- Loren Jones, Senior Vice President and Head of Amentum’s Energy & Environment-International business, said:
“The National Cryogenic Facility (NCF) represents a landmark investment in the UK’s industrial capability and benefits a range of key industries, from energy and aerospace, to medical and manufacturing. For companies like Amentum, which is involved in some of the UK’s largest nuclear projects, the NCF provides a vital sovereign capability to support the nation’s energy security and export capabilities. Paired with the High Temperature Facility in Warrington, the North West of England is the natural home for the UK’s extreme temperature testing, supporting the nuclear resurgence and the economic benefits it brings.”
- Steven Metcalfe, CEO of Quantum Exponential, said:
“We welcome the UK’s commitment to establishing a domestic cryogenic facility at Daresbury. Cryogenics is a critical enabling technology for many quantum systems, and access to national infrastructure of this kind is vital for scaling the UK’s quantum sector. As the only specialist quantum VC fund with its primary focus on the UK, Quantum Exponential strongly supports initiatives that strengthen the domestic quantum supply chain and ensure that breakthrough research can translate into world-leading companies built and scaled in the UK.”
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