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Seo Jang-cheol, Chief Technology Officer of Electric Power and Managing Director at LS Electric (right), and Kim Dae-han, President of KEPCO's Korea Electric Power Research Institute (left), pose for a commemorative photo during a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony for cooperation in distribution-level power electronics technology, held at LS Tower in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, on the 14th. / LS Electric

LS Electric is partnering with KEPCO to develop "grid-forming" technology that autonomously establishes grid voltage and frequency in response to the expansion of renewable energy. As distributed energy resources such as solar and wind power increase and drive volatility across distribution networks, the company plans to validate the technology domestically before expanding business into overseas markets.

On the 15th, LS Electric announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KEPCO the previous day at LS Tower in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, to collaborate on distribution-level power electronics technology.

Distribution-level grid-forming, which the two entities will prioritize for joint development, is a technology enabling inverter-based distributed energy resources—including solar, wind, and energy storage systems (ESS)—to independently establish voltage and frequency for the power grid. While conventional "grid-following" systems merely track the voltage and frequency set by the grid, grid-forming creates its own baseline, reducing distribution network fluctuations and stabilizing grid operations.

As the share of renewable energy grows, the need for grid-forming technology becomes increasingly vital. With inverter-based power sources rising sharply, technologies supporting the stable operation of existing power grids are essential. Distribution-level grid-forming remains in the early stages of commercialization globally, and the two partners plan to pursue commercialization for export following joint research and domestic field demonstrations.

The two sides will also conduct joint research on smart transformers and black-start-based microgrids. Smart transformers monitor and control grid conditions in real time using digital communications, while black-start refers to the capability to restart the electrical network using self-contained emergency power without relying on external transmission supplies during major blackouts.

An official from LS Electric stated, "With the rapid surge in inverter-based distributed generation, the importance of distribution-level grid-forming technology—which sets its own baseline to stabilize the grid—is growing," adding, "We will secure distribution grid technologies required for distributed energy environments alongside the Korea Electric Power Research Institute and pursue commercialization in global markets."

                                                                                                            Lee Seo-yeon