ESB Networks will use IBM's Intelligent Electric Vehicle Enablement Platform to operate and manage its 1,000 public EV charge points in Ireland

ESB Networks will use IBM's Intelligent Electric Vehicle Enablement Platform to operate and manage its 1,000 public EV charge points in Ireland. The cloud-based system will allow EV drivers to locate, access and pay for charging anywhere in the country using a single access card, regardless of their electricity provider. The project will also provide utilities with energy usage data that can help improve smart grid operations and reduce power strain during peak charging times.

Ireland's energy policy calls for producing 40 percent of the country's electricity consumption from renewable sources, and for 10% of cars on Irish roads to be EVs, by 2020.

Richard Bruton, Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, said, "Green energy and cloud computing are key sectors being targeted by the Government as part of our Action Plan for Jobs. This innovative partnership between an Irish energy company and a global IT leader puts Ireland at the forefront of global developments in the electric vehicle sector by using cutting edge cloud technologies, and represents a clear demonstration of what is possible in this area. Ireland will now be the first country globally to put in place this system on a national basis, and I am determined to ensure that through continued implementation of our plan we will see further examples of leadership in these areas."

ESB Chief Executive Pat O'Doherty said, "ESB Networks is rolling out a smart recharging network nationwide and committed to offering a service that will benefit the consumer, electricity retailer as well as the electricity grid. This project has the potential to significantly improve efficiencies in EV charging, streamline management services and contribute to the overall reduction of CO2 emissions."

IBM VP Allan Schurr said, "Infrastructure readiness and consumer acceptance are and will continue to be imperatives to the success of electric vehicles, however the industry must now focus on the management aspect. It will be how we support EV market growth from an interoperable and scalable level. For utilities, this project tackles both front and back office operations by addressing business services such as billing, yet at the same time, also provides continued access to real-time data needed to monitor and forecast the impact on the grid."

Source: ESB Networks