Electric.ie March April 2021

30 ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • Missed opportunity to correct new ecodesign & labelling rules T he Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Regulations adopted in December 2019 have been revised. An updated version has been published in the Official Journal of the EU and enters into force at the end of February. LightingEurope members are disappointed that important changes requested by our association have not been included. Most of the new Ecodesign and the Energy Labelling rules start to apply on 1st September 2021. LightingEurope experts suggested important changes to the regulations to allow private and professional users of light sources sustained access to the quality and safe light sources they need. The updated Ecodesign Regulation contains stroboscopic Industry News effect requirements with relevant consequences on the market. Products need to be redesigned to comply to the new strict requirements which may limit the availability of lamps to consumers, such as LED full glass lamps. The timeline published is very challenging for companies to adapt, this occurring in an already very difficult time for the industry due to the COVID-19 crisis. We expect Member States authorities to make additional efforts to ensure full compliance of products placed on the market, which are imported from outside the EU. LightingEurope has published guidelines to help companies understand and apply the complex rules and to help market surveillance authorities enforce them. Updated versions are in preparation and will be made available by mid-March 2021. More information is available at www.lightingeurope.org . The Lighting Association Ireland are members of Lighting Europe. The Irish representatives are Gearoid Mc Kenna and Gay Byrne. Dingle residents participate in ESB Networks EV Trial F ifteen Dingle residents will drive away in a new electric vehicle (EV) as part of ESB Networks one-year trial. The objective of the community trial is to understand the impact of electric vehicle charging on the electricity network and whether the optimised use of smart EV charging technologies can minimise those impacts. This latest initiative is one of many trials currently being rolled out by ESB Networks Dingle Project team. Following an extensive local engagement campaign, 10 new EV Ambassadors from hundreds of applications were selected to participate on this trial. The existing five Dingle Project Ambassadors will also receive an EV while two cars will be made available, on a managed basis, to the wider community so they can also enjoy the electric motoring experience. Smart chargers have been installed at the homes of all 15 participants on the EV trial. Emma Silke, Electrification and Innovation Delivery Manager at ESB, explains the importance of such a trial and having community involvement: “The electrification of transport is critical to Ireland’s low-carbon future, with ESB Networks playing a critical role in this transition. This trial is important to assess the technologies and resilience required when there is a high number of EVs and smart chargers being used within a community. What we will see over the next year in Dingle is what the future will be within the next 10 to 20 years across every community, with Dingle and its wonderful residents demonstrating their willingness and ambition to lead the way once again.” The ambassadors selected all have different motoring needs, varying from parents driving their children to school and activities, to local artists, business representatives and retirees. This cross selection will provide ESB Networks with a good understanding of the electric vehicle charging requirements of trial participants and, in turn, will assist in understanding what is required to design and operate the electricity network of the future. Speaking about her selection, Muriel Devane from Annascaul, said: “I feel so honoured to be chosen to participate in this EV trial. I am looking forward to learning more about electric cars and learning more about how our choices now will shape our future.” Since the Dingle Project was launched in 2018, ESB Networks has installed more than 170 smart and renewable technologies and devices, in the community, homes and electricity network.