SAT-Guard: Grant explores extreme weather impact on renewable distributed energy

Project Title: Satellite-Aided Technologies for advancing resilience: Guarding energy services under climate hazards, risks, and disasters (SAT-Guard)

Project Dates: January 2025 to May 2027

SAT-Guard (Satellite-Aided Technologies for advancing resilience – Guarding energy services under climate hazards, risks, and disasters) is one of only 36 projects selected from over 900 applications to the UKRI’s Cross Research Council Responsive Mode (CRCRM) pilot scheme, which supports bold, cross-disciplinary ideas addressing major societal challenges.

Led by Professor Hongjian Sun (Engineering, Durham University), SAT-Guard will investigate how satellites can be used to:

• Monitor and manage renewable energy inputs into the power grid more effectively
• Detect and respond quickly to damage caused by storms, floods, and other extreme weather
• Improve the resilience and recovery of energy services during climate-related disasters

With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, power networks are under increasing strain. Outages can leave thousands without electricity, with vulnerable communities hit hardest. Meanwhile, as the UK moves toward Net Zero by 2050, the growing reliance on solar and wind energy—both harder to forecast than fossil fuels—adds new complexity to grid stability. SAT-Guard aims to tackle these dual challenges with cutting-edge satellite science and practical tools aimed at research of the impact of extreme weather on energy services, including renewable solar and wind energy, and ways of creating resilience to the impacts of extreme weather.

The project brings together an interdisciplinary team from:

• Durham University
• Engineering: Prof Hongjian Sun (Project Lead), Dr Misael Alpizar Santana (PDRA – Digital Twins)
• IHRR / Geography: Prof Bruce Malamud, Prof Danny Donoghue, Dr Tagele Mossie Aschale (PDRA – Environment)
• DEI / Anthropology: Prof Simone Abram, Dr Danielle Johnson (PDRA – Social Sciences)
• Northumbria University
• Prof Eamon Scullion (Satellite Communications), Dr Jing Jiang (Electrical Engineering), Dr Muhammed Cavus (PDRA – Renewable Energy)

The team is supported by partners including industry Northern Gas Networks, ensuring real-world impact for both infrastructure providers and communities, and the National Health Services. 

“The UKRI Cross Research Council Responsive Mode scheme is designed to break down silos and support interdisciplinary research with the potential to address the big issues of our time,” said Professor Alison Park, Deputy Executive Chair of the ESRC and Senior Responsible Officer for the scheme. “We’re excited to see projects like SAT-Guard tackling climate resilience in such innovative ways.”

For further information: See UKRI Grants Online