G-PST/ESIG Webinar: Requirements and Verification Procedures for Grid-Forming Units – The German Approach to Ensuring Power System Stability

Professor Dr.-Ing. Kaveh Malekian Boroujeni

Featured Speaker: Dr.-Ing. Kaveh Malekian Boroujeni, Professor for Decentralized Energy Systems and Electrical Networks at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus–Senftenberg

Webinar Abstract: The ongoing transformation of electric power systems worldwide raises a crucial question: how—and to what extent—can inverters with grid-forming capabilities be deployed to maintain system stability when operating with a very high share of inverter-based generation? While the systemic need for a proportion of grid-forming plants is broadly recognized, the methodology for determining this need, as well as the quantification and validation of grid-forming capability, remains under discussion. Germany has adopted a two-stage approach to rapidly address the need for grid-forming capabilities. The first stage involves the planned introduction of a new market-based ancillary service called “inertia,” to be provided by the TSOs starting in 2025. The second stage, based on the national implementation of the revised European Network Code “Requirements for Generators” (RfG2.0), envisions a mandatory minimum inertia capability for newly connected large-scale power plants from 2027/28 onward. The inertia market is viewed as both a critical mechanism and incentive to accelerate the deployment of grid-forming technologies. It is intended to foster rapid achievement of essential features, such as voltage source behavior and phase jump power from inverter-based resources, while also securing power reserves to balance generation deficits and surpluses—through positive and negative inertia products, respectively. This presentation outlines Germany’s approach to translating the abstract concept of “grid-forming” into concrete inertia products and explores how these are quantified and verified, including a technical overview of the requirements and related verification procedures for market participation.

About the Speaker: Professor Dr.-Ing. Kaveh Malekian Boroujeni, born in 1983 in Iran, is a specialist in decentralized energy systems and electrical networks. Since 2025, he has held the professorship for Decentralized Energy Systems and Electrical Networks at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus–Senftenberg, where he contributes to research and teaching within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Energy Systems. He earned his doctorate in Electrical Engineering from Chemnitz University of Technology in 2016, following a Master of Science from Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran and a Bachelor of Science from Shahid Chamran University in Ahvaz. Before his current role, Professor Malekian accumulated extensive experience in both academia and industry. He served as a Grid Integration Engineer at ENERCON Global GmbH and as a Development Engineer in Electrical and Software Engineering at ENERCON WRD GmbH. Between 2009 and 2018, he worked as a Research Associate and later as Team Leader at Chemnitz University of Technology. His research interests include power system stability, harmonic analysis, and the integration of renewable energy technologies into modern power grids.

Moderator: Julia Matevosyan, Associate Director, Chief Engineer, ESIG

Registration Cost: FREE

Q&A Session: We will be using the Slido platform for Q&A. Please submit your questions and follow-along during the event at this link.