Dar and Schneider Electric have jointly published a technical white paper, “Feasibility Analysis of AC and Hybrid AC/DC Microgrids for Buildings,” examining the real-world performance of AC and Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid architectures in commercial buildings and how electrical architecture choices impact the long-term performance.

The collaboration brings together recognised technical leadership from both organisations. The paper was led by Haitham Ahmed Taha, Associate Principal Engineer – Electrical Strategic Planning at Dar, in collaboration with Ramalochan P, Senior Principal Technical Expert – Power Systems at Schneider Electric, and Ahmad Makkieh, EU Direct Current Project Manager at Schneider Electric. The authors set out to move beyond theoretical debate and address a persistent industry question: how do different electrical architectures perform under real operating conditions?

The study is based on a full year of operational data from Dar’s Smart Village office in Cairo: a live, high-performance commercial building environment. This real-world dataset is complemented by advanced energy modelling used to analyse architectural scenarios and evaluate system behaviour under comparable conditions. The combined approach enables a structured, evidence-based comparison between AC and Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid configurations.

With commercial buildings becoming increasingly electrified and data-driven, electrical architecture has evolved from a background engineering decision into a strategic determinant of performance and lifecycle outcomes. Yet much of the industry discussion around AC versus hybrid AC/DC systems remains conceptual. This white paper contributes applied insight by grounding the discussion in measured operational performance data.

This joint study represents a significant contribution to industry thought leadership, offering data-informed analysis to support developers, asset owners, consultants, and energy leaders in making future-ready infrastructure decisions.

The publication reflects a model of applied collaboration, combining operational experience with advanced technical expertise to deliver practical, market-relevant guidance.

The detailed findings and performance analysis are available in the full publication.

Register to download the white paper:
https://cloud.go.se.com/AE_202602_ACDCMicrogrids