About us

The centre plans to maintain and extend its regional, national and international collaborations. It is intended to foster partnerships within the centre and interdisciplinary collaboration with other centres in relation to the Energy and Power Research Challenge Area. In particular, research on novel data-driven techniques for smart grids will have benefits for many of the technological applications areas of interest to the centre. Energy utilities continue to undergo rapid technological change as a consequence of decarbonisation, digitalisation and de-regulation with the increasing importance of alternative and renewable energy sources. The research centre intends to respond to evolving research and innovation requirements in these fields and also (where possible) to anticipate future needs, for example producing novel data-driven techniques for the operation and planning of resilient power and energy systems, incorporating risk management under technical and financial uncertainties.

Research Aims and Strategies

The commercial and industrial research clients of the centre, particularly the electricity supply industry, will continue to undergo dynamic change in the coming years. This is a consequence of decarbonisation, digitalisation, de-regulation, changing priorities on energy sources and the emission of pollutants, and the world-wide introduction of new market and trading regimes. The centre aims to continue to provide technological solutions at the forefront of research in these areas. Current research funding has been obtained from UK government sources (EPSRC and UKRI), European and industry funding sources.

Research themes and description of activities

Power systems analysis for transmission and distribution networks, smart grids, including data-driven steady-state and dynamic analysis. Investigation of novel data-driven techniques for observability and situational awareness in power and energy systems. Modelling, simulation and analysis of new power and energy markets. Portfolio and strategy optimisation taking into account risk and uncertainty. Optimisation of the design, planning and operation of power and energy systems. Modelling and optimal control of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS). Condition monitoring of power stations and system plant.

Research Data

  • Total Grant Income: more than £3M over last 5 years
  • Number of Projects: over 10
  • Number of Refereed Journal Papers: over 300
  • Number of Refereed Conference Papers (and Book Chapters): over 1000
  • Number of Research Students:
    Current: PhD over 20, over 70 PhD awarded (2003-2018)
  • RAs and RFs: 3
  • National and International Collaborations:
    Imperial College, Queens University Belfast, University of Birmingham, Newcastle University, University of Oxford, Warwick University, Sheffield University, Tsinghua University, Sichuan University and CQUPT, China; CEPRI, China
  • Key Industrial Collaborators: NESO, NGET, EDF, UK Power Networks, GE Vernova, SSEN, SEL, Siemens, OPAL RT, Nortech

Research Impact

Computational models and optimisation algorithms produced by the centre have been implemented in over 35 utility companies, in 7 countries.  New algorithms resulting from the research, and described in publications, have been taken up and further developed by many researchers, nationally and internationally.

Inter- Multi- and Cross-disciplinary Aspects

The research of the centre draws on the disciplines of electrical power systems engineering, control engineering, optimisation theory, computational algorithms and data science.  Much of the research is inter-disciplinary, with individual research projects requiring skills in two or more disciplines.