Cormac Gilligan

Job Title: Director, Technologies & Supply Chains
Company: S&P Global Energy

Cormac Gilligan is a director with the Technologies and Supply Chains team focused on global cleantech and renewables. He is currently responsible for managing the research of the global photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage inverter markets as well balance of system topics such as solar trackers. Other focus areas relate to hot topic themes such as innovation in power conversion and grid (2kV, SiC/GaN, grid forming (GFM)), cybersecurity in energy, transformers and grid enhancing technologies. Mr. Gilligan has accumulated more than 15 years in the cleantech industry, with his analysis and commentary regularly published by leading PV and energy storage industry media and the global press. He has also presented at many leading industry events and conferences.

June 23, 2026The Role of Grid-Forming Inverters in Renewable Energy Integration

Sessions

Joint Session

Inverter-Dominated Power Grids - How do we Overcome our Dependency on Turning Masses of Fossil Power Plants?

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 09:30 am - 11:00 am

ICM München Room 13 A

The share of renewable energies in European power systems is steadily increasing: Germany has already achieved approximately 60 percent, and most of the renewable energy is provided by the volatile sources wind and solar. This is the bright side of the story, but conventional power plants, which have been responsible for grid stability until now, are also being shut down. A further increase in renewable shares requires a shift in the paradigm towards grids operating safely and reliably with power electronic assets. In this context, energy storage systems with grid-forming inverters play a key role, and this session is dedicated to technological solutions, the development and adaptation of grid codes, market incentives and, as well as best practices. Additionally, we will ask whether the way in which grid stability was coordinated in the era of turning masses from momentum reserve to FCR, aFRR and mFRR is still appropriate for inverter-dominated grids.