When ‘grid-forming energy storage’ suddenly became a buzzword in discussions about the new power system, even regarded as the ‘technical threshold’ for renewable energy grid integration, market sentiment was swiftly ignited. Against the backdrop of continuously rising renewable energy penetration rates and evolving electricity consumption structures, grid-forming capability is not merely a marketing concept but an inevitable choice following profound shifts in grid operational logic.

I. The Real Pressure Facing the New Power System: Not ‘Whether There Is Power’, But ‘Whether It Is Stable’

The large-scale integration of new energy sources like photovoltaics and wind power, coupled with the gradual phasing out of traditional synchronous generators, is fundamentally altering the operational characteristics of the power system:

System inertia continues to decline

Grid frequency deviation risks are rising

Dynamic reactive power support is insufficient, straining voltage stability

In certain new energy aggregation zones, novel issues such as wide-frequency oscillations have already emerged

Particularly, the intermittent output pattern of photovoltaic systems – generating during daylight hours and ceasing at night – further amplifies the grid’s peak-shaving and frequency regulation burdens.

The issue lies not in insufficient generation capacity, but in the weakening ‘support capabilities’ of the grid.

As industry experts have noted: ‘Electricity must not only be generated, but also transmitted reliably and sustained robustly.’

This is precisely why grid-forming energy storage has been thrust into the spotlight.

II. Grid-forming without energy storage constitutes only a partial solution

A common misconception in industry discussions persists:

Upgrading inverter algorithms alone is deemed sufficient for grid-forming capability.

Yet from the perspective of power system operational logic, this understanding is markedly oversimplified.

Traditional photovoltaic and wind power systems predominantly employ grid-following control, operating in Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) mode. Essentially functioning as ‘current sources’—

When grid frequency drops, they cannot proactively increase active power output, making them ill-suited for frequency and voltage support duties.

Therefore, without energy storage, so-called ‘grid-forming PV’ can only be considered ‘partially grid-forming’.

In today’s new power systems, electrochemical storage with bidirectional rapid charge/discharge capability is the only resource capable of millisecond-level response and actively establishing voltage and frequency.

III. Assessing ‘True Grid-Forming Capability’: Identity and Physical Performance

Amidst market conceptual confusion, how does one identify genuinely engineering-viable grid-forming storage?

Two consensus-based assessment dimensions have emerged within the industry:

1 Assess ‘Identity’: Is it a voltage source?

This constitutes an entry threshold.

Does it employ Virtual Synchronous Generator (VSG) technology?

Has it incorporated the rotor motion equations and droop control logic of synchronous generators?

Only by achieving ‘voltage source’ characteristics through control logic does the equipment possess the fundamental capability to independently establish grid voltage and frequency.

2 Assess ‘Physical Capability’: Can it sustain the load?

The true differentiator lies in hardware-level support capabilities:

Does overload capacity approach synchronous generator levels?

Is power response sufficiently rapid?

Can stable output be maintained under fault conditions?

Many products ‘build grids algorithmically’ yet ‘collapse under load’ in actual operation. The issue lies not in topology, but in engineering redundancy and system design.

IV. Delivering ‘Grid-Building Value’ Through Engineering Capability

As grid-forming storage transitions from ‘proof-of-concept’ to ‘large-scale deployment,’ Highjoule(HJ Group) prioritises adapting grid-forming capabilities to existing grids rather than forcing grid modifications for equipment.

✔ Robust grid adaptation approach

Grid-forming storage systems employ virtual synchronous machine control to emulate traditional synchronous generators’ voltage and frequency characteristics. In grid-forming mode, they proactively establish voltage and frequency references, providing substantive grid support.

✔ High Overload Capacity and Rapid Response

Hardware design comprehensively addresses transient grid shock demands, featuring high overload tolerance and millisecond-level power response. This enables swift intervention during voltage sags, frequency disturbances, and other operational conditions to stabilise system performance.

✔ Frequency Regulation and Peak Shaving for High-Renewable Scenarios

Leveraging bidirectional active power regulation, Highjoule(HJ Group) systems concurrently deliver:

Inertia Support

Primary Frequency Regulation

Peak shaving and load curtailment

Black start and islanded operation

Truly serving as the ‘stabiliser’ in scenarios with high renewable energy penetration.

V. From Grid to Computing Power: New Application Frontiers for Grid-Forming Energy Storage

With the rapid expansion of AI computing centres, power consumption is not only increasing in volume but also undergoing dynamic changes.

Millisecond-level power fluctuations generated by GPU clusters during inference and training processes are beginning to impact data centres and even the grid side.

Grid-forming energy storage is emerging as a buffer layer connecting the grid with highly fluctuating loads.

Leveraging its technical expertise in HVDC and energy storage systems, Highjoule(HJ Group) can deploy grid-forming energy storage systems on the AC feed-in side:

Smoothing fluctuations in computing loads

Mitigating grid impacts

Reducing multi-tiered storage configurations at the end points

Enhancing overall system efficiency

As 800V and higher voltage platforms become mainstream, the system-level value of grid-forming energy storage will be further amplified.

VI. Grid-forming capability is not a label, but the outcome of long-term engineering prowess

Within the development of new power systems, grid-forming energy storage will not be a ‘short-term trend’, but will progressively evolve into a fundamental capability requirement.

True grid-forming capability transcends mere specification listings; it is defined by:

Withstanding complex operational conditions

Seamless integration into existing grid architectures

Sustained, stable operation at scale

Highjoule(HJ Group) remains engineering-practice oriented, transforming grid-forming from concept into actionable solutions through proven control strategies, robust hardware design, and system-level safety principles.