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The ESB has given a welcome to the announcement by Richard Bruton, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, that €10-million is to be invested in creating a new national charging network for electric cars.
The announcement is part of a €500-million package called the Climate Action Fund, and the €10-million allocated to electric car chargers is part of an initial €77-million release of those funds.
Commenting on the announcement, Marguerite Sayers, Executive Director Customer Solutions at ESB, welcomed the funding as the most significant moment in the e-mobility story in Ireland since ESB got involved almost ten years ago. "Enabling the electrification of transport is a key part of ESB's Brighter Future strategy to tackle climate change. We are committed to supporting the Government's ambition to have over 500,000 electric vehicles on Irish roads by 2030. Critical to achieving this ambition will be the availability of a reliable, country-wide public charging network, that can facilitate the charging needs of significant numbers of electric vehicles, eliminate 'range anxiety' and enable seamless EV travel across the island of Ireland."
Ms Sayers also outlined ESB's Climate Action Fund proposal for a high power charging network across Ireland. "Our proposal is to install over one hundred high powered (150kW) chargers at key locations on the national road network. These chargers which will typically provide an additional driving range of 100km in six minutes. In addition, subject to planning permission and approval, we intend to replace one hundred 50kW fast chargers which can recharge a car to 80 per cent in 25 minutes and to also refurbish up to 200 standard (22kW) chargers. We look forward to working with the Department on the next phase of the funding assessment."
A big part of the problem for electric car users reliant on the national charging network for the past while has been not only the small numbers of fast-charging points, but the reliability of the system. Many of the e-car chargers currently in use are of an older design, and in some case replacement parts are difficult to come by. While a €10-million investment is only a fraction of that needed for a properly functioning national charging network, it is at least a start of some sorts.
Minister Bruton said: "The decisions we make now in tackling climate change will define the next century. I want to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change, not a follower. That will require a significant step change right across our society. The projects we are supporting under the Fund, will support decarbonisation across the transport, heat, electricity and agriculture sectors and demonstrate the types of investments we need to make. For example, the investment we are making in the ESB to develop a nationwide, state-of-the-art electric vehicle charging network, will be crucial to reducing range anxiety and supporting individuals to move to electric vehicles. This investment by the Government will leverage additional investment from the project promoters and marks significant step towards achieving our ambitions."