Grid Forming Inverters - PDE1003

This program gives you a solid theoretical foundation in grid-forming inverter control for modern power systems, along with hands-on PSCAD training. It focuses on how grid forming converters establish voltage and frequency, share power, and remain stable under disturbances in weak and inverter dominated grids. You will learn to model and test grid forming control strategies, validate dynamics using EMT simulation, and interpret stability results with confidence. Designed for engineers, consultants, and researchers working on renewable grid connections and inverter-based resources, this program develops the specialist skills needed for practical grid forming studies.

Over four days, the program takes a structured approach to building your capability in grid forming inverters, combining clear theory with practical PSCAD labs throughout. You begin with the motivation for grid forming, the differences between grid following and grid forming behaviour, and the core control building blocks that shape system response.

The course then develops the two main families of grid forming control used in practice: droop-based methods and virtual synchronous machine or generator approaches. You will learn how these methods regulate power and frequency, how they behave under different network conditions, and what trade-offs they introduce for performance and robustness.

A major focus is stability and verification. You will build small signal models for grid forming controls, verify them against EMT simulation results, and use these tools to understand transient behaviour during grid events, including the impact of current limiting and control choices.

The final day introduces impedance-based stability analysis for IBR dominated grids. In a dedicated lab, you will learn how to perform impedance scanning using a newly developed tool and apply the results to stability assessment for both single plant and multi plant connection scenarios.

Whether you are transitioning into grid forming studies or deepening your expertise in inverter dominated power systems, this program provides an edge. You will leave with the knowledge and confidence to use PSCAD for grid forming modelling, stability assessment, and practical grid connection studies.

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At a glance

Fees

  • In-person: A$4,675
  • Online: A$4,207.50

Early-bird discount (15%):

  • Available until May 8, 2026 and applied automatically at checkout.

Online course fee:

  • To access the online fee, complete the registration up to checkout and enter the code "GFMOnline” before payment.

Monash students/alumni discount:

  • After the early-bird period, a 30% discount is available.
  • Use “MONASH30” for in-person enrolment and “Online+30” for online enrolment.

This course is designed for:

  • Power system and renewable energy engineers who need to understand grid-forming inverter behaviour and stability for modern grid integration studies.
  • Developers and project engineers working on wind, solar, and storage projects who want practical insight into grid-forming control capabilities and their impact on system performance.
  • Consultants and service providers involved in modelling, tuning, or stability assessment of inverter-based resources, including weak-grid and inverter-dominated conditions.
  • Utility and network service provider staff who specify, review, or assess grid-forming inverter requirements, study outcomes, and stability evidence for connections.
  • Early career professionals, graduate engineers, and postgraduate students seeking a combined theory and PSCAD hands-on pathway into grid-forming inverters and inverter-dominated power systems.

What you will learn

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the key differences between grid-following and grid-forming control and identify where each approach is used in practice.
  • Implement and test droop-based grid-forming controls and interpret power sharing and frequency response outcomes.
  • Implement and test virtual synchronous machine or generator style controls and compare their dynamic behaviour to droop approaches.
  • Develop small-signal models for grid-forming controls and use them to assess stability trends and sensitivities.
  • Verify small-signal predictions against EMT simulation results and interpret the differences in a practical way.
  • Assess transient stability of grid-forming inverters under disturbances, including the impact of current limiting strategies.
  • Perform impedance scanning in PSCAD using a newly developed tool and apply impedance-based stability analysis to single and multi-plant scenarios.
  • Confidently use PSCAD for EMT modelling and simulation of grid-forming inverter behaviour.

Program structure

Pre-course optional workshop: PSCAD basics
(Recommended for participants with no or limited PSCAD experience.)

  • Introduction to PSCAD and its role in grid connection and GPS studies.
  • Navigating the PSCAD interface, project workspace, libraries, and toolbars.
  • Building and running a simple AC network case, including sources, transformer, lines, and meters.
  • Plotting results, using control panels and simple I/O elements, and exporting data.
  • Guided warm-up exercises, including a simple network model and a basic VSC topology in PSCAD.

Day 1: Grid Forming Inverters: Modelling, Control and Applications

  • Overview of grid forming inverters and where they fit in modern power systems.
  • Grid following versus grid forming: key behavioural differences and typical applications.
  • Grid following control basics, focusing on synchronisation via PLL and the current control loop.
  • Grid forming control basics, focusing on the voltage control loop and primary control functions.
  • Common grid forming variations and what drives the choice between them in practice.

Day 2: Droop and Virtual Synchronous Machine Based Grid Forming Controls

  • Frequency based droop control for power and frequency regulation.
  • Droop behaviour in different network conditions, with focus on inductive versus resistive grids.
  • Angle based droop control for sharing and synchronisation.
  • VSM and VSG concepts and what they emulate from synchronous machines.
  • Key VSG variants and a high-level performance comparison.

Day 3: Small-Signal and Transient Stability of Grid Forming Inverters

  • Transient stability of grid forming inverters with and without current limiting.
  • Small signal modeling basics using state space methods.
  • Small signal model of a cascaded VSG, including key subsystems.
  • Model verification by comparing small signal and EMT results.
  • Stability assessment using eigenvalue analysis.

Day 4: Impedance Scanning and Stability Analysis for IBR-Dominated Grids

  • Motivation and key concepts behind impedance-based stability analysis.
  • Frequency-response estimation basics and how impedance is defined for IBR and GFM systems.
  • Impedance scanning workflow, including practical setup and validation steps.
  • Stability assessment using scanned impedance data, including data management and reporting.
  • Case studies: stable connection design for a single plant, and locating the source of instability in multi-plant networks.

Dr Behrooz Bahrani

Dr Behrooz Bahrani
Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University Director, Grid Innovation Hub

Dr Behrooz Bahrani received his Ph.D. degree from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland, in electrical engineering in 2012. Currently, he is an Professor at Monash University, where he is also the director of the Grid Innovation Hub.

He was recently a visiting academic at the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Prior to joining Monash University, he was a postdoctoral fellow at several international universities including EPFL, Georgia Tech, Purdue University, and the Technical University of Munich. His research interests
include control of power electronics systems, applications of power electronics in power systems, and grid integration of renewable energy resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need to use my own device?

You will need to use your own PSCAD compatible device. Please be aware that PSCAD is only compatible on the WINDOWS operating system. We also strongly recommend using a mouse with your device.

2. What if I do not have a PSCAD compatible device/or any device?

If you do not have a PSCAD-compatible device, we have a limited number of PSCAD-compatible devices, with PSCAD pre-installed, that we can make them available remotely so you can access them with AnyDesk for the duration of the course for a small fee. Please send an enquiry email to behrooz.bahrani@monash.edu, only after registering if you should require one. Please understand that we need time to organise and coordinate these, so any fee paid for a loan device will be non-refundable should you change your mind.

3. Will PSCAD licenses be provided?

We will be providing PSCAD educational licenses for the duration of the course. These, along with download instructions, shall be providing closer to the course commencement date. With these you will be able to download PSCAD to your device. We strongly recommend that you download PSCAD before the commencement of the course, to avoid any potential delays and overcome any troubleshooting that may be required.

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