A Grid Controller of India (Grid-India) discussion paper has proposed that all new battery energy storage system (BESS) installations of 50 MW and above should incorporate grid-forming capability, especially when located in weak grid or remote areas.

Grid India notes that grid-forming inverter technology (GFM) is becoming commercially viable and field-proven for transmission-connected applications, as evident from international deployments.

The discussion paper, ‘Grid Forming Technology and Possible Applications in Indian Power System,’ makes the case for initiating large, grid-scale pilot projects, especially those built around BESS-backed grid-forming inverters, which can provide practical insights for wider adoption.

Stakeholders can provide their feedback on the proposals by February 28, 2026.

Grid India also includes inferences from simulation exercises demonstrating that GFM technology can improve voltage stability, provide fast reactive power support during faults, reduce the rate of change of frequency near disturbance locations, and operate more reliably in low-short-circuit-ratio environments. The studies also show that grid-forming controls tend to reduce post-fault high-voltage overshoots and damp low-frequency oscillations more effectively.

The discussion paper said the Indian power system has entered a phase in which the large-scale addition of variable renewable energy, growing demand from new-age loads such as data centers, and the gradual displacement of synchronous generation are reshaping how stability is maintained.

As India progresses toward its 500 GW non-fossil capacity target, the success of the electricity system will increasingly be measured not only by renewable capacity addition but by the grid’s ability to remain resilient, reliable, and secure under new operating conditions.

The discussion paper stated that experiences from major renewable complexes, particularly in Rajasthan, had revealed challenges related to low system strength, altered fault behaviour, weak-grid oscillations, and sensitivity of inverter controls. These issues underline that the shift to a power-electronic-dominated grid must be supported by stronger standards, robust compliance verification processes, and a careful evaluation and implementation of emerging technologies to enhance grid robustness.

The increasing integration of renewable energy has stressed India’s electricity grid, causing repeated frequency fluctuations. In the third and fourth quarters of the financial year 2024-25, the grid witnessed persistent high-frequency above the ceiling on 39 days, raising concerns among grid operators and regulators.

Last September, the government tasked the Central Electricity Authority with conducting a pilot project on grid-forming inverters in the wake of a power blackout in the Iberian Peninsula that disrupted ing power supply for hours on April 28, 2025.

In the discussion paper, Grid India highlighted the need for close coordination among technology developers, renewable energy/BESS developers, system operators, and regulators to ensure that the evolving mix of technologies operates cohesively and safely. Future research efforts must focus on GFL (grid-following)-to-GFM conversion possibilities, equipment standardization, and GFM in black-start applications.

It suggested providing adequate fault and sequence-of-events recording facilities within grid-forming resources to enable a thorough assessment of grid-forming control performance during system disturbances.

The discussion paper calls for strengthening compliance verification for inverter-based resources, enhancing model transparency, and prioritizing weak-grid locations for detailed stability assessments.

Grid India said the impact of GFM in transmission-level assets, such as static synchronous compensators and high-voltage direct current converter stations, should also be studied.

The discussion paper also notes that many equipment manufacturers, including Hitachi, ABB, Tesla, GE, Sungrow, Siemens Gamesa, and Huawei, have developed grid-forming converters for solar, wind, and BESS applications. The key capabilities across all models include inertia emulation, frequency support, black-start capability, high- and low-voltage ride-through, and fast active/reactive power response. Many of these grid-forming solutions are being tested or deployed in renewable energy projects globally.