Exploring Potential Applications of Ising Machines for Power System Operations

Recent advancements in Ising machines, both via quantum and quantum-inspired annealing, have shown promising results in solving difficult optimization problems. Owing to the potential of these dedicated machines, there is increasing interest in applying Ising machines to power system operations. However, despite Ising machines exhibiting computational advantages over conventional computational resources, modeling capability of Ising machines limits their potential applications. Hence, this study explores these potential applications in two steps. First, using the known characteristics of Ising machines and theoretical derivation, this study constructed an Ising machine applicability table for optimization problems. Then, using the constructed table, this study assessed the suitability of well-known optimization problems in power system operations to identify potential applications. Furthermore, to understand the performance of applying Ising machines, this study solved a phasor measurement unit placement problem using a quantum-inspired Ising machine. The results show the potential of solving large-scale problems that are unsolvable by conventional methods. The Ising machine usage guideline for power system operations summarizes the findings of this study.