The Big Tech Show: Price hikes for public EV charging, exploding tumble dryers and Trump's new ‘do what you want' AI reforms
The cost of publicly charging an electric car is being increased by up to 15pc by Ireland's biggest provider. ESB cars, which has the most public charging points in the country, is adding 7 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) across all of its tariffs, raising the cost of charging an electric car by up to €7. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Louth Oireachtas members to meet with ESB on Drogheda supply concerns
Delays in securing connections to the ESB network were highlighted at the July meeting of Louth County Council, with the local authority confirming it was 'aware of the energy constraint issues in north Drogheda.' The issue centres around future demands from new housing projects in the area, which will be requiring connections to the electricity network. Concerns have been raised by Louth councillors and TD's as to how this could impact the next phase of the Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR) which will be developer led, and is expected to include a raft of new housing for the area. asked the ESB for an update on network availability in north Drogheda. A spokesperson said: 'ESB Networks is actively engaged on interim and medium-term development plans in the context of meeting future demand for electricity connections in County Louth. ESB Networks have met several developers with development plans in the north Drogheda area in recent weeks to discuss their short, medium and long-term programmes and to provide updates on ESB's plans to meet their electricity supply requirements. ESB Networks are in the process of making connection offers to all new connection applications that it received in the Drogheda area up to mid-June 2025. ESB Networks are currently assessing any applications received post this date and hope to provide updates to the applicants in the coming weeks. ESB Networks managers are scheduled to meet Oireachtas members from Co Louth this week as part of continuing engagement with local stakeholders, including developers and Louth County Council officials.'
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Amazon fiasco is bad news for Ireland Inc
Taoiseach Micheál Martin was quick to say he will 'delve into' the circumstances of Amazon scrapping plans for a bid industrial plant in Dublin. The tech behemoth cancelled the €300 million project because it could not secure a power supply on time. Finding out what happened should be no more difficult than arranging a phone call between the Taoiseach and Terence O'Rourke, chairman of the State-owned ESB since 2020. Martin might also make enquiries of Amazon, one of the biggest and most valued client companies of IDA Ireland, the inward investment agency. The prospect of 500 new jobs was lost when Amazon's cloud-computing arm, AWS, abandoned plans to build high-tech server racks at Ballycoolin. Such racks are a form of specialist shelving used in data centres to drive AI technology, a priority area for foreign direct investment strategists. [ Amazon scraps Dublin plant and hundreds of jobs over failure to secure power supply Opens in new window ] The loss of this individual project is bad enough, the reputational damage worse still. Whatever way you cut it, the signal has gone out in a very public way that the electricity network in certain parts of Dublin can't meet new industrial demand. This is on top of housing delivery being hampered by serious constraints in power and water networks. READ MORE No surprise, then, that the Government is redoubling efforts to spur infrastructure investment. Given rapid population and employment growth, the need is obvious. But a report from Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers highlights how it can take seven years to develop electricity substations and a decade to build a small water treatment plant. This is extraordinary, although it hardly comes as news to the electricity, water or transport sectors. Nor indeed to people waiting for utility suppliers to deliver the goods. [ Slowing pace of capital project delivery has knock-on effects for Irish society Opens in new window ] The ESB has one job: to supply power to customers. Surging demand and consequent network pressures have been apparent for years, already prompting special measures to curtail new data centres. Still, AWS electricity demand at Ballycoolin would be nowhere near data-centre levels. This prompts obvious questions for Martin: Why was the ESB unable meet such demand? And what will it do to avoid any repeat of the situation?
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
Petrol prices fall slightly as diesel steady offering slight relief for motorists
Unleaded petrol now averages €1.73 per litre, according to the latest monthly fuel price survey from AA Ireland. This is down 4c from June when it was selling for an average of €1.77. Diesel prices have held steady at €1.69 per litre. AA Ireland said the slight softening in petrol costs and the fact that diesel prices have not moved was a small but welcome relief for motorists. More than half of the price of a litre of motor fuel at forecourts is made up of tax and other State levies. There was no change in electric vehicle (EV) charging costs at home. But EV charging on-the-go costs with ESB ecars will increase from €0.59kWh to €0.66kWh for their high-powered chargers from Friday. An spokesperson for AA Ireland said: 'July brings a small shift in the right direction for petrol drivers, with prices easing slightly. 'While diesel remains unchanged, the stability may offer some predictability for most motorists as we move through summer when longer drives usually take place.' The spokesperson said the recent changes to EV on-the-go charging prices by ESB ecars, while still competitive in market, will add additional costs to the motorist. This will especially impact those on staycations that have no alternative option to charge. AA Ireland encouraged drivers to take proactive steps to manage fuel usage. Driving habits have a direct impact on efficiency, and simple actions such as smooth acceleration, maintaining correct tyre pressure, and removing unnecessary weight from the vehicle, can all help reduce costs, the spokesperson said. Crude oil prices rose this week after US President Donald Trump said he was reducing a 50-day deadline given to Vladimir Putin to agree a deal with Ukraine. Brent crude futures settled $2.47, or 3.53%, higher at $72.51 a barrel Oil prices had already risen on news of a EU-US trade deal. Oil prices had risen earlier in the day on Monday as investors reacted to news of a EU-US trade deal, announced on Sunday. Among other provisions, the EU agreed to buy $750 billion of US energy products, including oil, LNG, and nuclear energy over three years. Trump's tariff threats have previously deflated oil prices this year as investors predicted that a potential economic slowdown could affect demand for oil. Geopolitical risk, on the other hand, has stoked prices in cases where investors have expected threats to supply. US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, for example, prompted a spike in oil prices in June. An OPEC+ committee meeting is taking place on Monday, where participants will decide on production policy for September. Both the International Energy Agency and the US Energy Information Administration expect a strong oil surplus next year, with supply outpacing demand. After securing a deal with the EU, Washington has now set its sights on negotiations with China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are meeting with Chinese officials, including Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, on Monday in Stockholm.
