Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2024
193. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if he will set out the number and location of fast electric vehicle chargers currently available in the country; the number expected to be in place in each of the next three years; if it is his intention to have a common pricing system for chargers across the country in order to encourage greater E.V usage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3523/24]
View answerThe Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles.
Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and cheaper for the consumer as well as assisting in the overall management of the national grid. Over 80% of charging is expected to happen at home.
However, there is also a need for a seamless public charging network that will provide for situations or instances where home charging is not possible, such as on-street and residential charging, destination charging, en route charging for long journeys and workplace charging.
Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), a dedicated Office which oversees and accelerates Ireland’s transition to zero emission vehicles, has significant funding available in 2024 for the installation of EV charging across Ireland.
ZEVI has been engaging extensively with Local Authorities to develop their EV Infrastructure Strategies for Destination and Residential neighbourhood chargers. Local Authorities as part of their strategy development and implementation planning will identify locations and optimum sites where these types of chargers are required. ZEVI is currently engaging with Local Authorities and looking at potential direct multi-annual funding options for Local Authorities to install both Destination and Local neighbourhood Charging Projects. It is anticipated that Phase 1 projects will commence roll out in 2024.
As of July 2023, there were approximately 2,100 charge points in Ireland of which 441 were fast or ultra-fast recharging points.
The Department of Transport does not at present maintain counts of available publicly accessible EV charging stations, which are owned and operated by commercial charge point operators, but ZEVI are developing a Data Strategy which, when implemented, will give the Department full visibility on this. The system will enable the collection of data from charge-points in near real time, and provide it on an Open Data basis. The obligation on charge-point operators and owners to share this data is legislated for in the EU Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation. This data system is expected to be in place by April 2025.
Price setting by electricity suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own different approach to pricing decisions over time, in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.
As such, any changes to the cost of charging are subject to the customers home energy costs in the event that they have a home EV charger, or the pricing models implemented by charge point operators in the case of public EV charging.
