Solar-powered electric vehicle charging hub launched in Galway
A solar-powered electric vehicle charging hub has been launched in Galway City by Mayor Mike Cubbard and Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Seán Canney.
The EV hub will offer a reduced charging rate for city dwellers who have no driveways. Taxi drivers and public transport operators will also be able to avail of the discounted rates.
The EV hub is the first of its kind in Ireland and is located in Westside, which is a decarbonisation zone in Galway City.
Mayor Mike Cubbard commented: "I'm delighted to see reduced cost electric car charging being introduced in Westside - particularly for people living in apartments or with no driveways who would like to switch to an EV, but are concerned about where they could charge their vehicle, or the cost of commercial charging.
"Taxi drivers will also be invited to avail of a reduced rate for fast charging their vehicles to support a transition to EV vehicles in the city. The six spaces are fully accessible, so will cater to all mobility users, with significantly cheaper rates available for up to one hour of charging.
"This project is a key action in Galway City Council's Climate Action Plan and will play a significant role in facilitating the move to electric vehicles in the city."
The Galway hub is the first of four to be launched countrywide, with the others coming on stream in Letterkenny in Donegal, Waterford City and Dundrum in Dublin later in the year.
The hubs are being delivered in a partnership between Trinity College Dublin, Atlantic Technological University (ATU), ESB and Enterprise Car Club.
Funding is being provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland under the SEAI Research, Development & Demonstration Funding Programme 2022.
Mr Canney said: "I'm delighted to support the launch of the Westside EV Charging Pilot on behalf of the Department of Transport and ZEVI.
"This is a smart and forward-thinking project that makes use of the building's existing electricity supply, along with solar panels and battery storage, to deliver fast and reliable charging for electric vehicle users.
"It allows people charge with minimal impact on the local electricity grid, and it creates a convenient neighbourhood charging option for people living nearby or working in the area who may not be able to charge at home. This is the first of several EV charging pilots the department and ZEVI are supporting with local authorities in 2025.
"The approach is designed to be scalable and easily replicated right across the country and support other national initiatives led by ZEVI, including the Shared Island Sports Club scheme and national roads/motorway schemes."
The hubs will also serve as testing grounds for electric bike sharing and will allow people to try them out before buying one.
The hub sites will include an ESB charge station with one e-cargo bicycle, four electric bicycles, and two shared EVs provided by Enterprise Car Club.
The e-bikes can be used via the ESB e-Hub app on Android and iPhone.
They will require a minimum wallet top-up of €10 to begin using the e-bikes and e-cargo bicycle service.
The bikes will use a €1 unlock fee with the first minute free, and after that, the e-bikes rentable for €0.25 per minute and the cargo bicycle for €5 per hour. Both have daily caps of a maximum of €60 per day.
Engineer at Galway City Council Colm Shaughnessy said: "Galway City Council is the first public body to provide EV infrastructure exploring solar and battery technology to power electric vehicles.
Findings from this pilot will provide much-needed learnings to allow other local authorities and private EV suppliers provide much-needed EV charging without the requirement for large on-grid connections.
"In particular, this set-up could be the ideal solution for rural locations where the on-grid capacity is not available for high-powered EV charging infrastructure. Other potential applications of this system include powering supermarket fridges or leisure centre pools, for example - so the learnings of this pilot could have significant impacts in the switch to more sustainable power options."
Head of innovation at the ESB Group Donal Phelan, said: "We continuously strive to explore the potential of new technology to achieve ESB's Net Zero by 2040 goal through three key objectives: decarbonising energy, building resilient infrastructure and empowering customers to live more sustainably."
He added: "Our commitment to sustainability and innovation is at the heart of this e-mobility hub pilot. Working with key partners to deliver this pilot ensures that we are collectively working towards a cleaner, greener, and more connected urban future."
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