Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 September 2020
37. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the cost breakdown to the ESB of installing a standard electric vehicle charge point and a fast charging electric vehicle charge point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27455/20]
View answer38. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the number of public charging points for electric vehicles that have been constructed; the number currently in operation; the number of new charging points planned for the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27456/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 38 together.
The Government is fully committed to supporting an expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network which stays ahead of demand over the coming years.
There are currently circa 650 standard public charge points and over 100 fast charge stations (the majority of which are operated by the ESB) in Ireland. An interactive map showing ESB charger locations and their status can be found at www.esb.ie/ecars.
€10 million has been committed from the Climate Action Fund to promote the charging network and this has leveraged a further €10 million investment from ESB. This intervention alone will result in:
- 90 additional high power chargers (150kW), each capable of charging two vehicles
- 52 additional fast chargers (50kW), which may replace existing 22 kW standard chargers
- 264 replacement standard chargers (22kW) with more modern technology and with each consisting of two charge points
Since the delivery stage of the project commenced in October 2019, 159 22kW chargers, each with two charge points, have been replaced bringing the total number of these chargers nationally to 318.
In addition to the new replacements for 22kW chargers, three multi charger sites have also been delivered, one each in Galway (M6), Kildare (M9) and Laois, while the programme to upgrade 22kW chargers to 50kW has already commenced with 10 installations now in place.
ESB is continuing to assess other suitable sites on motorways and national road networks, with the aim of delivering over fifty high power (50-150kW) charging hubs. These hubs can provide up to 100km of driving range in as little as six minutes. Final sites are based on a range of factors including current charge point usage, traffic volume, accessibility, amenities and grid capacity. More site locations will be announced in the coming months. The current project will run until 2023.
Further information can be found at https://esb.ie/ecars/our-network/high-power-charging-hubs.
My Department, via the SEAI, also provides a grant of up to €5,000 to support local authorities in the installation of on-street public chargers. With regard to this scheme applications are currently being assessed in respect of 24 charge points to be installed across 2 local authorities with the expectation that demand for support under this scheme will grow significantly in 2021 and thereafter.
Combined with an effective public charging network, Ireland's home charging policy will help sustain and service the expected growth of electric vehicles on Irish roads. Charging while at home accounts for around 80% of electric vehicle charging in Ireland and it is best practice, internationally, to promote home charging as the most common and cheapest form of charging. To support home charging, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department, administers an EV home charger grant of up to €600 towards the purchase and installation of an EV home charger unit.
The cost of installing a charger varies from site to site depending on grid capacity, required civil and electrical works and type of charger. There are a number of charge points installers providing this service throughout Ireland and in this regard ESB ecars procures civil and electrical works and supply of chargers from third parties. Any projected or actual costs are therefore commercially sensitive and ESB ecars does not disclose this information.
