On the 09-10th April 2025, I had the opportunity to attend the international workshop “Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Meets Grid-Forming Control” hosted by Fraunhofer IEE in collaboration with OPAL-RT TECHNOLOGIES in Kassel, Germany. The event brought together experts from across the energy sector – including TSOs, DSOs, and research institutions – to explore cutting-edge approaches to grid-forming control in inverter-based power systems.

The workshop was an intensive, hands-on experience centered around the use of Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) and Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) for accelerating development cycles and improving validation methods in power electronics applications. Using the RICOSO system developed by Fraunhofer IEE and OPAL-RT’s real-time simulation tools, participants were able to test control strategies in a realistic lab environment.

Live demonstrations, in-depth technical sessions, and insightful presentations—especially by Jonas Steffen and Tobias Erckrath—offered a deep dive into real-time control testing and simulation. The event highlighted how PHIL and RCP can bridge the gap between theoretical control designs and their practical deployment in modern power systems.

Big thanks to the organizing teams at Fraunhofer IEE and OPAL-RT for an incredibly well-run and inspiring workshop. It was a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen research networks, and take away actionable insights for ongoing academic and industry projects.

By Emmanuel Eragbe Sule

Inter-Open MSCA PhD Researcher,

KU Leuven and Etch/Energy Ville.