Dubai’s push to expand clean energy comes as population growth, electrification and digital infrastructure place greater demands on its power network. Integrating more solar generation, battery storage and distributed energy will require not only additional capacity, but also a grid capable of managing two-way electricity flows, variable supply and increasingly complex loads in real time. Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, hybrid AC/DC systems and software-defined power are beginning to reshape how electricity is generated, distributed and consumed.
In this interview, Frédéric Godemel, EVP of Energy Management at Schneider Electric, discusses how these technologies can strengthen grid reliability, reduce energy losses and support decarbonisation. He also examines the rise of energy prosumers, the investments shaping the Middle East’s power sector and the obstacles to faster grid modernisation.
Dubai is accelerating renewable integration as part of its net-zero strategy. How do hybrid AC/DC systems and advanced distribution technologies practically enable higher renewable penetration without compromising grid stability?
Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is a national priority for the UAE, and Dubai plays an important role in supporting this ambition through the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. Under the strategy, Dubai aims to increase the share of clean energy in the emirate’s energy mix and position itself as a global hub for clean energy and the green economy.
With Dubai’s population expected to reach 5.8 million by 2040, expanding renewable and clean energy sources will be essential to meeting rising electricity demand while supporting the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 commitment. This growing share of renewables means the power system must evolve to integrate them reliably while maintaining grid stability.
Traditionally, large fossil-fueled power stations and Alternating Current (AC) have enabled efficient long-distance transmission and centralised power distribution. However, the rise of decentralised renewables, such as solar panels and battery storage, which operate on Direct Current (DC), is reshaping the energy landscape.
Hybrid AC/DC systems provide a practical solution by enabling both currents to coexist. Using separate AC and DC buses interconnected by power electronic converters, this architecture allows energy to be routed more efficiently to where it is needed, reducing losses that occur during multiple conversions between AC and DC.
Advanced distribution technologies further enhance the resilience and flexibility of the grid. Digitalised grid management platforms and solid-state breakers enable real-time monitoring, rapid fault detection, and automatic reconfiguration of the network. These capabilities ensure that even as more renewables are integrated, the grid remains stable and responsive to fluctuations in supply and demand.
Additionally, add a new layer of intelligence to the grid, bringing analytics and control to the edge of the electrical network, allowing operators to optimise energy use in real time, reduce waste, enhance safety, and improve uptime.
You’ve described the shift toward software-defined power. In operational terms, how are AI and predictive analytics transforming grid management, and where are they delivering measurable emissions reductions rather than incremental efficiency gains?
As grid constraints and energy volatility intensify, sites increasingly face long connection queues, sharp demand peaks, curtailment warnings, and unpredictable renewable output, making traditional planning insufficient and resilience harder to guarantee. Software-defined power addresses this through real-time edge intelligence that dynamically manages loads, storage, and on-site generation as grid conditions change. This allows sites and utilities to absorb volatility, managing peaks, responding instantly to grid signals, and maintaining stable operations instead of exposing sites to volatility.
For example,
Schneider Electric is working with the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, the country’s national utility provider, to convert the national electricity distribution network into a future-ready smart grid. The project includes the establishment of four control centres to monitor and optimise the electricity network, alongside the deployment of more than 12,000 smart ring main units across the distribution system.
These systems use big data and artificial intelligence through Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Grid platform and Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) to monitor, control, and reconfigure the grid in real time. This smart grid enables faster fault detection, automated network reconfiguration, and reduced maintenance costs, while also optimising distributed energy resources, including renewables, and enabling new technologies such as microgrids to be connected to the main grid.
Additionally, at the Grand Egyptian Museum, Schneider Electric’s Tower Monitoring Expert solutions enabled integrated energy management that increased power availability by an average of 22 per cent, reduced outage duration by nearly five times, and delivered up to 24 per cent in energy cost savings, while improving overall network resilience and safety.
By pairing a cloud-based MPC (model predictive control) optimiser with rugged edge controllers, Schneider Electric transformed distributed energy resources into self-learning microgrids that retrain every few minutes on real weather, tariffs, and demand patterns. Across 97 live sites, this shared AI “brain” has enabled a 12-person team to cut external energy draw by 458 MWh and reduce emissions by an average of 109 tCO₂ per site per year, which accounts for around a 28 per cent improvement.
How does Schneider’s EcoStruxure Energy Cloud deployment at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority enable real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated fault detection, and what operational or structural changes are driving improvements in grid reliability and carbon emissions reduction?
Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Energy Cloud deployment at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated fault detection by leveraging a cloud-based platform that processes over three million data points per minute.
EcoStruxure is developed with a three-layer architecture: intelligent devices, edge control and computing and software and services. These layers operate collectively to deliver efficient, resilient, and software-defined energy management from the grid edge to the enterprise level. Smart meters, grid sensors, and protection devices continuously capture high-resolution data across substations and renewable facilities. Edge controllers analyse this data locally, ensuring immediate responsiveness for critical operations such as fault detection, equipment protection, and voltage stabilisation.
The platform’s apps, analytics, and services layer aggregates data into a unified dashboard, providing operators with actionable insights through predictive analytics, load forecasting, and digital twin simulations. Machine learning algorithms anticipate load fluctuations, optimise demand response, and ensure smooth integration of renewables. As a result, DEWA improved grid reliability by 29 per cent and reduced carbon emissions by 18 per cent within the first year through optimising energy dispatch and reducing dependency on fossil-based peaker plants, while minimising service interruptions and enhancing mean time to repair (MTTR) across its grid network.
As homes and commercial buildings evolve into “energy prosumers”, generating and storing their own power, how does that shift the traditional utility model, and what infrastructure is required to coordinate distributed energy at scale?
The emergence of energy prosumers, homes and commercial buildings that generate and manage their own power, is reshaping the traditional utility model. Rooftop solar, batteries, heat pumps, and smart controls are creating multidirectional energy flows. This decentralised power distribution is optimising energy use and supporting the wider grid by balancing supply and demand and increasing flexibility and resilience in real time. Hybrid AC/DC systems route solar power directly to DC loads, while solid-state breakers and intelligent controls ensure safety and efficiency.
Integrating more DC support reduces energy losses, enhances grid flexibility, and enables resilient power solutions. As unified standards for DC grid control are developed, the infrastructure needed to coordinate distributed energy at scale is becoming more viable, empowering individuals and organisations to play an active role in the energy transition.
What major technology and investment trends are shaping energy management globally, and how do you see the Middle East, particularly Dubai, positioning itself within that shift?
Globally, energy management is being shaped by trends in energy security, affordability, decarbonisation, and the rapid adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. Countries are investing in clean energy, energy storage, and digital solutions to enhance reliability and reduce emissions, while also balancing the ongoing importance of traditional energy sources.
In the Middle East, particularly Dubai, clean energy and green transformation are top priorities. Over the past 15 years, more than $40bn has been invested in the UAE’s energy sector, including alternative energy projects. The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy aims for 75 per cent of the city’s energy to come from renewables by 2050, supporting the national Net Zero Strategy and the goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. By 2030, the UAE’s clean energy production capacity, including solar and nuclear, is forecast to reach 14 GW.
Regionally, the Middle East is set to achieve over $75.6bn in renewable energy investments by 2030, with 116 projects spanning solar power, onshore wind, hydropower, hydrogen production, carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS), geothermal energy, in addition to battery and energy storage systems.
Looking ahead, what are the biggest technical or regulatory bottlenecks that could slow Dubai’s ambition to build a smarter, lower-carbon grid, and how is Schneider Electric positioning itself to address them?
One of the key factors slowing down Dubai’s drive towards smarter grids is the speed at which grid infrastructure can be upgraded and digitalised. While the technologies and connected equipment for flexible, digital grids already exist, deployment has not kept up with the speed needed to connect more renewables and meet net-zero goals. Outdated infrastructure and the complexity of integrating distributed energy resources can slow progress if not addressed proactively.
In response, Schneider Electric has introduced innovations that simplify and accelerate grid upgrades. For instance, EcoStruxure Microgrid Flex standardises and simplifies microgrid configuration for faster implementation, drastically reducing project timelines. Another example is the Cloud-based EcoStruxure DERMS, which manages distributed resources such as electric vehicles, energy storage, and rooftop solar, enabling rapid deployment and flexible integration. While tools like EcoStruxure Transformer Expert and the Power Automation System create digital twins of critical assets, optimising power management, reducing maintenance costs, and enhancing the reliability of the grid.
Moreover, the cost of upgrading and digitalising grid infrastructure can be a significant bottleneck. Schneider Electric designed the One Digital Grid Platform to help utilities modernise faster, strengthen grid resilience, and reduce energy costs. According to a Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact study, one composite organisation achieved a 184 per cent ROI over three years of utilising Schneider Electric’s ADMS, a core part of the One Digital Grid Platform. In addition to $62m in business benefits, $40m net financial gain, and a 16-month payback period. Operational improvements included 20% lower outage penalties, 65 per cent time savings for control room operators, and 35 per cent time saved for field crews.
How do you see the UAE’s energy outlook in the coming years?
A key element defining the future of the UAE’s energy sector is diversification. Not only across fuels and technologies, but also across where and how energy is produced and balanced. That matters because resilience today is about having an energy system that can anticipate disruption, absorb shocks, adapt quickly in real time, and recover fast, without compromising reliability, cost, or sustainability.
The UAE has been advancing that systems-style approach across the value chain, linking efficiency, clean generation, storage, alternative fuels, and stronger interconnection. By coordinating energy with wider infrastructure, particularly where power, water, and technology intersect, the country is building a model that is robust and flexible to adapt to any challenges for years to come.
