Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan. Image: Julien Behal Photography
Minister Eamon Ryan said the latest strategy aims to make public charging facilities more accessible to incentivise the use of EVs.
Ireland has its first national EV charging infrastructure strategy as part of the Government’s plans to reduce emissions.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, TD launched a new Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022 – 2025 today (19 January) which will see more than €100m spent on public EV charging infrastructure over the next three years.
As part of the strategy, high-powered chargers will be installed every 60km on Ireland’s motorway network. Several other locations, such as in homes, residential neighbourhoods and major destinations, will also benefit from charging infrastructure.
The document comes with an accompanying implementation plan which details how the proposed infrastructure will be delivered by 2025.
Ryan’s department said that around 80pc of EV charging in Ireland is done at home. The strategy will focus on making publicly funded charging infrastructure more widely available.
The Government says the plan will make shifting to EVs easier for car users and will accelerate Ireland’s progress in meeting its national carbon reduction targets.
At the end of 2022, the Government launched an updated Climate Action Plan that outlines carbon budgets and emissions ceilings for various sectors.
“The EV strategy sets out a roadmap for creating an entirely new infrastructure across the country – one that people can have confidence in and one that will encourage more and more people to choose EVs,” Ryan said at the launch.
“It’s happening already – EV sales are sky-rocketing – but the new infrastructure we are planning should take away concern or worry that people might have about access to charging points.”
Ryan also announced a new scheme to incentivise EV usage that will mark the first practical roll-out of the strategy.
This €15m scheme from the Shared Island Fund will help sports clubs install electric vehicle charge points in local communities across the island of Ireland, so when people drop off kids or go to the club for their own use, they can charge their car at the same time.
The Shared Island Fund was established in Budget 2021 to bolster communication, cooperation and investment between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and meet strategic mutual priorities in areas such as education, infrastructure, health and climate action.
An increase in EVs means increased electricity use and further pressure on the electricity grid. The recent For Tech’s Sake podcast episode explored how we are powering the future of tech and the e-waste implications of increased electrification.
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