IBM and ESB partner to deliver electric vehicle charging for Ireland

IBM and Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board (ESB) are set to work together to deploy more integrated charging IT system for electric vehicles in Ireland. With 1,000 such public charging points now installed around the country, drivers will also be able to access all charging stations using an ID card. ESB Networks, which is currently rolling out the public charge points around Ireland, will be using IBM's Intelligent Electric Vehicle Enablement Platform to operate and manage these charge points. Apparently,
October 2, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
62 IBM and 6647 Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board (ESB) are set to work together to deploy more integrated charging IT system for electric vehicles in Ireland.

With 1,000 such public charging points now installed around the country, drivers will also be able to access all charging stations using an ID card. ESB Networks, which is currently rolling out the public charge points around Ireland, will be using IBM's Intelligent Electric Vehicle Enablement Platform to operate and manage these charge points. Apparently, Ireland will be the first country globally to implement such an integrated platform.

IBM says that the cloud platform will connect ESB Networks with energy retailers and the charge points, allowing all three to communicate energy usage and financial data directly.   

One of the aims of the new system will be to provide analytics so that ESB Networks will be in a position to better forecast and balance the load on the power grid, helping to improve smart grid operations.  ESB Networks will also have the capability to maintain customer and charge point data, such as energy consumption, charging location and settlement data.

"This project has the potential to significantly improve efficiencies in electric vehicle charging, streamline management services and contribute to the overall reduction of CO2 emissions," said ESB chief executive Pat O'Doherty today.

For electric vehicle (EV) drivers, IBM said its platform will allow people to select payment options and access all charge points using one ID card. The idea is to help users to aggregate usage costs and simplify billing.  Drivers will also be able to use their mobile devices to locate their nearest charge point and check its availability.

IBM said the platform will also give ESB Networks the flexibility to add charge points, as well as integrate new functionality and support more electric vehicles as the market grows.

As part of its energy policy, Ireland has a goal to produce 40 per cent of the country's current electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020 and for every tenth car on Irish roads to be electric.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Travel information is heading towards smartphones
    January 30, 2012
    Travel information services are undergoing a step change as rapid increase in sales of smartphones brings ITS technology to consumers' fingertips. A virtuous circle of expanding capability is under way in traffic and travel information services, promising much for drivers and reduction of road congestion. A recent rapid rise in sales of smartphones has boosted numbers of vehicles carrying GPS enabled devices and so brought expansion of traffic data available for analysis and dissemination. Greater numbers o
    Read More
  • Developments in security for wireless communications networks
    July 20, 2012
    David Crawford looks at new developments in security for wireless communications networks. Wireless communications - including mobile phone links - are well recognised as a key transport technology. They are low-cost, easily installed, well supported by the wider IT industry and offer the protocols of choice for much metropolitan area networking on which transport applications can piggyback.
    Read More
  • Singapore plans changes to transit system
    June 13, 2018
    Singapore has the third-highest population density in the world and the numbers are continuing to grow. The government knows that transit is vital: David Crawford investigates the city state’s Smart Nation strategy. Transport is the most important of the five domains identified as the pillars of Singapore's far-reaching Smart Nation strategy, launched in November 2014 by prime minister Lee Hsien Loong with the aim of reaching fulfilment by 2024. Roads account for 12% of the island republic's 719km2 land ar
    Read More
  • Personal Rapid Transit, clear benefits for European cities
    July 26, 2012
    David Crawford watches the race to get the world's first PRT system up and running. To paraphrase the old joke about buses bunching, you seem to have to wait several decades for a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, and then half a dozen come along together. Currently, in fact, there are well over that number of schemes for driverless electric passenger-carrying 'pod' networks at various stages of planning, design and implementation around the world. Locations range from a straight-off-the-drawing board ne
    Read More

Highlighted Content