UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has granted funding for a research project focused on satellite-aided technologies, under their interdisciplinary scheme.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has granted funding for a research project focused on satellite-aided technologies, under their interdisciplinary scheme.

In a significant development, a research project led by Professor Hongjian Sun at Durham University's Department of Engineering has been selected as one of the recipients of the UK Research and Innovation's (UKRI) cross research council responsive mode (CRCRM) scheme. The project, worth approximately £1 million, brings together experts from Durham's engineering, environmental science, and social sciences departments, with Professor Bruce Malamud and Professor Simone Abram also part of the research team [1].

The CRCRM scheme, designed to stimulate interdisciplinary research and unlock new approaches or methods, is a flexible, multi-council funding route supporting high-impact innovative technologies [1]. While specific projects funded by CRCRM on satellite-aided sustainable energy are not detailed here, UKRI-backed and government initiatives are leveraging satellite data combined with AI and smart infrastructure to better predict and manage energy demand, contributing to sustainable energy systems [3].

The Durham project aims to revolutionise traditional resilience measures in power grids by designing an advanced Satellite-aided "Forecast-Flex-Fortify" mechanism. This mechanism is designed to proactively manage power grids, enabling flexible and social-conscious energy dispatching, and facilitating rapid and effective post-hazard restoration [1]. The goal is to create safer, more equitable, and sustainable energy communities amid climate change.

Professor Hongjian Sun, the Director of Research in the Department of Engineering at Durham, is leading the project. Professor Simone Abram, the Executive Director of Durham Energy Institute, and Professor Bruce Malamud, the Executive Director and Wilson Chair of Hazard and Risk at Durham, are also part of the team. The Department of Engineering at Durham is ranked fourth in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2025 [2].

The UKRI announcement regarding the scheme's recipients can be found online. For those seeking more precise examples of satellite-aided projects funded specifically under CRCRM, further targeted searches or direct UKRI resources may be necessary, as current search results do not elaborate more specifically.

References:

[1] UK Research and Innovation. (n.d.). Cross research council responsive mode (CRCRM) scheme. Retrieved from https://www.ukri.org/our-work/our-programmes/cross-disciplinary-research/cross-research-council-responsive-mode-crcrm/

[2] Complete University Guide. (2025). League Table 2025 - Engineering. Retrieved from https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/engineering

[3] UK Government. (2023). AI and smart meters to optimise electricity demand management. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ai-and-smart-meters-to-optimise-electricity-demand-management

1. The Durham University project, led by Professor Hongjian Sun and involving environmental science, engineering, and social sciences experts, has been awarded funding under the UKRI's climate-change focused CRCRM scheme to develop a Satellite-aided "Forecast-Flex-Fortify" mechanism for power grid resilience, aiming to create sustainable energy communities.
2. The CRCRM scheme, a UKRI initiative designed to foster interdisciplinary research, is supporting high-impact innovative technologies, including those related to renewable energy and climate-change mitigation, by leveraging satellite data combined with AI and smart infrastructure.
3. In addition to Professor Hongjian Sun, Professor Simone Abram and Professor Bruce Malamud are also part of the Durham University research team working on satellite-aided sustainable energy projects, with the goal of managing energy demands and ensuring power grid resilience amid climate change.
4. With the fifth-ranking Department of Engineering in the UK, Durham University is at the forefront of innovative environmental-science research, pursuing technological advancements in finance, energy, and industry sectors to address the challenges of climate-change and create equitable sustainable energy systems worldwide.

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