Unified Power Micro-grid Optimisation Strategies for Data Centres (UPMOST)

About the Project

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is powerful. But it depends on data centres who shouldn’t be too much power-hungry.

Did you know a single large-scale data centre consumes as much energy as 50,000 households? If you think that’s a problem worth solving, we want you for our PhD program. Work at the cutting edge of green AI and help us build a smarter, leaner digital future.

This UPMOST PhD project seeks to develop new unified methodologies and advanced tools to optimise the design and operation of microgrids, specifically tailored to meet the rapidly growing electricity demands of modern data centres.

Background: In support of the UK’s ambitions to advance artificial intelligence (AI), the government plans to deploy an additional 100 data centres, supplementing the existing ~500 facilities nationwide. However, power grid infrastructure development is not keeping pace with this accelerated deployment. According to National Energy System Operator (NESO) Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) data as of January 2026, around 600 energy projects are seeking grid connections, with 150 still awaiting approval. Compounding this challenge, renewable energy projects often entail protracted timelines, for instance, the Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm required nearly six years from planning consent in 2016 to full commissioning in 2022, and nuclear generation projects typically take even longer. These systemic delays underscore the urgent need for innovative, unified solutions such as those proposed by the UPMOST.

The UPMOST project will focus on two core research themes:

• Unified Approach for Optimising Renewable Energy & Storage Integration with Data Centres: Develop a cohesive framework and software tools for infrastructure planning involving renewables and energy storage. The approach will prioritise minimising the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) while ensuring data centres’ operations and maximising renewable energy sources’ self-consumption.
• Predictive Control of Microgrid Operation: Design predictive control strategies and data-driven operational frameworks that dynamically coordinate on-site generation and energy storage. By performing scenario-based analysis, the project aims to reduce peak demand by ~30% and identify new opportunities for microgrid design and data centre’s optimal operations.

More information about ReNU+ and our approach to competency assessment on our website.

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Hongjian Sun by email: hongjian.sun@durham.ac.uk

Eligibility Requirements

• A minimum of 60% in an MEng degree (or International equivalent Regional Pages - Durham University) in Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Appropriate English Language qualifications (Direct Entry Band B - Durham University), if required.
• Applicants cannot apply if they are already a PhD holder or if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Durham or elsewhere.
• Must be able to commit to campus-based full-time or part-time study.
• Home fee student.

To be classed as a Home student, candidates must:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• have settled status, or
• have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If a candidate does not meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student.

Modes of study

Full time or Part Time at 0.6 Full Time Equivalent at Durham.

How to apply

For further details on how to apply, and the link to Durham’s Postgraduate Application portal, see

https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-apply/

In the Postgraduate Application portal apply for the H1A601 PhD Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (EPSRC RENU CDT) Course. When completing the form on the application portal:

• On the funding tab select ‘yes’ you are applying for a scholarship, select ‘Other’, write RENU+/SUN in the name of the scholarship, and select 1st October 2026 as the start date. No scholarship documents are required.
• On the project course details tab write RENU+/SUN in Field of Study.

In addition to completing the form on the Postgraduate Application portal, ensure you upload the following additional documents to the portal:

1. completed ReNU Plus Competency Assessment in the place of a proposal. Please read further instructions within the form.
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV).
3. Two satisfactory academic references.
4. Any other required documentation as listed on https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-apply/

Funding Notes

The studentship is available to Home only students and includes a full stipend at UKRI rates (for 2026/27 full-time study this is £21,805 per year) and full tuition fees. Please note that one scholarship is expected to be offered amongst the two competitive projects at Durham, of which this project is one.

Deadline for applications: 15th June 2026 11:59pm

Start date of course: 1 October 2026