Meet Our Featured Speakers

As global energy systems undergo rapid transformation, the electric power industry faces an unprecedented need to modernise the grid to maintain stability, flexibility, and reliability. The acceleration of converter-based renewable generation, including offshore wind, solar PV hybrids, and battery storage, has introduced new dynamics that traditional synchronous grids were not structured to manage. To sustain secure operation at high shares of renewable energy, utilities, regulators, and system operators are prioritising grid-forming capabilities. These technologies enable power converters to operate as virtual synchronous machines, providing rapid frequency response, virtual inertia, fault-ride-through, and black-start capabilities. Such features are vital for maintaining grid resilience in an ever more decentralised power landscape and for allowing both large-scale and distributed energy resources to contribute actively to grid stability.

The deployment of smart grids and grid-forming converters marks a fundamental progression in power system design. Through advanced control systems, real-time communication, and digital monitoring, these networks can balance fluctuating supply and demand, support islanded operations, and restore power following disturbances. Pilot projects in hybrid renewable parks and interconnected transmission networks have demonstrated how grid-forming technology can strengthen frequency stability and voltage control, particularly in systems dominated by inverter-based generation. As power networks integrate more energy storage and flexible demand resources, the focus is moving towards establishing testing frameworks, compliance verification standards, and interoperability protocols that enable seamless coordination between grid-forming assets and existing synchronous machines. For the industry’s leaders, this transition represents a decisive step towards a stable, sustainable, and cost-efficient electricity system.

The economic and strategic implications are equally significant. By implementing smart grid infrastructure and grid-forming technologies, power utilities can optimise network efficiency, reduce outage risks, and postpone costly grid reinforcements. Furthermore, digital, self-regulating systems open new opportunities for service innovations, from dynamic tariffs to peer-to-peer energy trading, while reinforcing overall energy security. Stakeholders across the sector, including generation companies, transmission operators, technology providers, and policymakers, are encouraged to collaborate on frameworks that accelerate large-scale deployment and preserve system integrity across ever more complex networks.

SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES

By submitting, you agree to receive email communications from the event organizers, including upcoming promotions and discounted tickets, news, and access to related events.