Reviewing model validation practices of grid-following wind turbines and evaluating their applicability in the grid-forming case

The rapid growth of large-scale wind power plants (WPPs) and other inverter-based resources (IBRs) is significantly transforming and impacting power system design and operation, introducing new complexities and challenges. In this context, high-fidelity models that replicate the electrical behaviour of the actual plant are critical to ensuring secure and stable grid operation, increasing the demand for validation of electrical models against the actual component. Although validation techniques for grid-following (GFL) wind turbines (WTs) are well established, grid-forming (GFM) technology introduces functionalities that current validation practices may not fully address. Therefore, it is necessary to assess to what extent GFL validation techniques are suitable to validate GFM technology. This paper reviews the requirements of grid codes, standards, and expert groups on validating WT and WPP simulation models, outlines the WT test setups used in practice, and presents the validation methodologies currently used to assess the accuracy of models. The paper finally discusses the few recent proposals on the validation of GFM WT models and aims to bridge the methodological gap between existing validation practices and the validation of emerging GFM capabilities, offering a foundational perspective for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), transmission system operators (TSOs) and industry working groups to shape future validation frameworks for GFM controls in WTs.