A Unified Framework for Hybrid Grid-Forming and Grid-Following Inverter Control

Abstract: This paper proposes a novel unified control framework for achieving hybrid grid-forming (GFM) and grid-following (GFL) inverter operation by integrating dispatchable virtual oscillator control with reference-following synchronization. The proposed inverter control method supports multiple operating modes within a unified structure, including voltage- and frequency-following (PQ mode), voltage-forming and frequency-following (PV mode), voltage-following and frequency-forming (Qf mode), voltage- and frequency-forming (Vf mode), and a hybrid mode with mixed GFM and GFL behaviors. In particular, the proposed method achieves smooth pre-synchronization and enables seamless transitions across a spectrum of inverter operating modes by tuning a small set of continuous control parameters, rather than relying on discrete controller switching. This framework provides a flexible and physically interpretable approach for adapting inverter dynamics to varying grid conditions and operational requirements. The small-signal stability and input-output frequency-domain characteristics are further analyzed under different control parameter settings. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed unified control method are demonstrated through extensive electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulations and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments.