This proposal suggests to investigate the use of Grid-Forming Hybrid Transformers (GIFhT) with more advanced control and optimized power electronics to open the prospect of greater flexibility through active network control and the collection of rich data about grid operations. The UK is committed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and therefore the electricity grid will have to cope with the predicted deployment of millions of electrified transport and heating systems. Meeting this unprecedented energy demand will require significant uptake in renewable energy and an increase in both capacity and flexibility of energy networks to deliver the extra demand. On the other hand, the growth in renewable generation and energy storage is changing the nature of power flows in distribution networks, setting tremendous challenges for Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) to meet. The proposed GIFhT merges the traditional Low-Frequency Transformer (LFT) with partially-rated modern Power Electronics Modules (PEM). The proposed concept blends the robustness, high power efficiency, and low cost of LFT with the extensive versatility of PEM. The GIFhT concept will be delivered with two approaches, (i) Bespoke design, where GIFhT concept will be given complete freedom to the hardware specifications; including both the magnetic and power electronics designs. This approach aims at unlocking the full potentials of the GIFhT concept, delivering maximum benefits to the network operators when fully replacing existing distribution grid assets. (ii) Retrofit design, which will instead be looking at convenient upgrade solutions to existing distribution transformers; sacrificing potential performance with an answer to the immediate demand for network upgrades at minimal costs and disruptions.

Electricity infrastructure provides a vital services to consumers. Across the UK there are thousands of miles of overhead lines and other assets that are vulnerable to a number of environmental risks. Wind risks have caused more disruptions to power supplies in the UK than any other environmental risks. Despite their importance, the future risks associated with windstorm disruption are currently highly uncertain as the coarse spatial resolution of climate models makes them unable to properly represent wind storm processes. STRAIN will address two challenges for infrastructure operators and stakeholders who are urgently seeking to understand and mitigate wind related risks in their pursuit to deliver more reliable services: (i) Build upon state-of-the-art modelling and analysis capabilities to assess the vulnerability of electricity networks and their engineering assets to high winds. This will consider the impact of different extreme wind events, over different parts of the electricity network, the households and businesses connected, and also apply a model representing infrastructure inter-connections to understand the potential impact on other infrastructures that require electricity such as road, rail and water systems. (ii) Climate models provide very uncertain wind projections, yet infrastructure operators require an understanding of future climate change to develop long term asset management strategies. To provide the necessary information we shall work with the Met Office and benefit from new high resolution simulations of future wind climate using a 1.5km climate model. These simulations have proven capable of representing convective storm processes, that drive many storms across the UK, and have already proven that they better capture extreme rainfall events. These methods will be applied to a case study of an electricity distribution network. These are more vulnerable to windstorms than the high voltage national transmission network. STRAIN will therefore, by synthesising and translating cutting-edge research, provide electricity distribution network operators with a significantly improved understanding of wind risks both now and in the longer term. This will improve the reliability of electricity supply to UK consumers including other infrastructure providers reliant on electricity distribution networks, and reduce costs by enabling more effective allocation of investments in adaptation and asset management. Furthermore, it will help other infrastructure service providers better understand the impacts of electricity disruption on their own systems, and plan accordingly. The improved understanding of future extreme wind storms will provide benefits across an even wider group of infrastructure and built environment stakeholders.

This project aims to model demand-side flexibility coming from aggregation of a large number of residential and small and medium-size commercial end-users in the distribution network (DN). The algorithms developed through this project will facilitate more flexible operation of the DN by assessing the time varying capacity available from flexible loads, in response to flexible services currently procured by the distribution system operator (DSO), namely: Sustain, Secure, Dynamic and Restore. The aggregate flexibility will be described as the amount of available capacity and its duration, as a result of aggregating individual loads with different operating modes, start times, maximum deferral times, etc., driven by the end-users' daily behaviour and constrained by their comfort. Such flexibility profiling, corresponding to that of larger flexible resources already employed in practice (e.g., distributed generators or storage), will make provision of multiple flexible services accessible to small and medium-size end-users. This will result in increased flexibility of the DN as a whole. Furthermore, harnessing flexibility potential of residential and commercial users would have significant environmental implications, as these contribute to a large share to both, electrical usage and global greenhouse gas emissions. The findings of the project could be further complemented with smart meter data to develop tariffs and incentives for residential and commercial users, supporting more coordinated procurement of flexibility by reducing uncertainty of efficiency and outcome of the demand response (DR) programmes. The main beneficiaries of the research would be DSOs, aggregators and other DR responsible parties at the DN level. The question of flexibility modelling is not only important for reporting DR potential at the demand side (commonly, an aggregator's role), but also for more confident estimation of the outcome of DR programmes, tariff design and flexibility assessment, which are highly relevant to DSOs. One of the main benefits for DSOs brought by this project would be in supporting decision making when investing into incentives and infrastructure allowing network-wide control of flexible loads.

Durham University is launching a multidisciplinary Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Energy in October 2009 with an initial cohort of 15 postdoctoral students. This proposal seeks funding to enhance their learning experience by providing additional training during an extended programme of study that will broaden their understanding of wider energy issues and provide them with skills that will better equip them to deal with future energy challenges. This proposal describes a 5 year plan that will offer enhanced training opportunities for 63 PhD students. Durham University will fund the CDT Director, however secretarial support is being sought from EPSRC (0.25 FTE). To support the wider activities of the CDT funding for module development and annual events are also requested. Energy is fundamental to society and the provision, security of and access to energy supplies is a key challenge in the 21st century. Shortage of supply, concerns about climate change and national and global policy are driving society to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and move towards a low carbon future. Energy is a multidisciplinary topic and in order to remain competitive within this sector, the UK will require a critical mass of versatile individuals trained in a wide range of skills. These individuals will be faced with the many research challenges that this sector presents and will be future decision-makers. The reliance of society on energy means that this sector can offer graduates an exciting, rewarding and secure career choice with many opportunities for diversification. The Durham Energy Institute (DEI) has been recently established at Durham University in response to the multi and interdisciplinary research challenges and opportunities offered by the energy sector. This institute will build upon the existing track record for energy research and promote a step change in inter-disciplinary energy related research activity across the Faculties of Science and Social Sciences/Health. The DEI covers the spectrum of energy research at Durham University and actively encourages research at the boundaries between disciplines. The relatively small and compact nature of the university naturally stimulates interactions between departments and disciplines. The DEI focuses heavily on energy technologies and the societal aspects of energy use and is anticipated to have research income of around 15M per annum. The DEI has a Development Board who meet twice a year. The board comprises senior academics, representatives from the private sector and from local and national government including Ofgem, Fairfield Energy and DONG Energy. This collective represents a large body of expertise and experience which can be used to develop and deliver the multidisciplinary CDT training programme and areas for research.Both UKERC and the ETI are delivering a step change in the ambition and level of UK energy research. They have recognised the importance of enhancing energy research capacity and of undertaking multidisciplinary research. The CDT has been developed in response to these needs and forms an integral part of the DEI. The CDT will produce a skilled and diverse range of researchers equipped to address the challenging research problems that face every aspect of the energy sector. There are no other training programmes that offer such broad training on all aspects of the energy sector. Existing UK energy related CDTs offer training within specific fields e.g. Wind, Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Nuclear Fission, E-Futures, Low Carbon Futures and Demand Reduction in the Built Environment. The Durham University CDT will draw upon the expertise currently located within the Anthropology, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Geography, Government and International Affairs, Law, Mathematics and Statistics and Physics Departments and will be truly unique in its multidisciplinary approach.

Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are small, modular energy generation and storage units, e.g., wind turbines, photovoltaics, batteries, and electric vehicles, that could be connected directly to the power distribution network. DERs play a critical role in achieving Net Zero. Presently there are over 1 million homes with solar panels in the UK. With the green energy transition well under way in the UK, by 2050 there could be tens of millions of DERs connected to the UK power grid. Although DERs have many benefits, e.g., a reduced carbon footprint and improved energy affordability, they present complex challenges for network operators (e.g., low DER visibility, bi-directional power flow, and voltage anomalies), creating a major barrier to Net Zero. Meanwhile, natural hazards and extreme events are an increasing threat not only to humans but also power grid resilience - a direct impact is the power cuts, e.g., Storms "Dudley", "Eunice" and "Franklin" in February 2022 left over a million homes without electricity. How best to manage millions of DERs is still an open question, especially for improving the grid resilience to natural hazards and extreme events, e.g., storms and heatwaves. This project will develop innovative physics-informed Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for enabling Virtual Power Plants (VPP), capable of aggregating and managing many diverse DERs; not only improving decision-making for network operators but also enhancing the grid resilience to natural hazards and extreme events. These could also lead to reduced energy bills for millions of UK energy consumers, less power cuts during extreme events, to greater adoption and more efficient management of DERs, and ultimately to enable rapid progress towards Net Zero.