Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/3176
Date of Award
6-2025
Degree Name
MS in Electrical Engineering
Department/Program
Electrical Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Taufik
Advisor Department
Electrical Engineering
Advisor College
College of Engineering
Abstract
This thesis presents the design, simulation, and comparative efficiency analysis of hybrid AC/DC residential homes versus conventional AC homes for Net Zero Energy Homes (NZEH). Motivated by the increasing prevalence of DC-native technologies such as solar photovoltaics, battery storage, and DC-powered electronics, this work evaluates whether hybrid AC/DC distribution can offer measurable efficiency benefits over traditional systems. Twelve detailed house models were developed—six employing a hybrid AC/DC architecture and six based on conventional AC systems, each supplying a combination of AC and DC residential loads. Simulations were conducted using MATLAB/Simulink to model steady-state efficiency under various loading conditions. Grid configurations of 120 V RMS at 60 Hz and 230 V RMS at 50 Hz were used to reflect common global electric standards. Results show that hybrid AC/DC homes are 4–11% more efficient than their conventional AC counterparts when supplying DC loads up to 1.5–2 kW, due to the elimination of multiple conversion stages. However, efficiency gains diminish beyond this range, primarily due to copper losses in the 48 V DC bus. The analysis highlights that, while hybrid systems incur higher conductor losses at elevated power levels, they remain advantageous for typical residential applications with low to moderate DC demand. These findings support the integration of hybrid AC/DC architectures in future energy-efficient and net-zero energy residential electrical systems.