Energy Debate Over Switching Off Digital Ad Displays Expands To Ireland

September 16, 2022 by Dave Haynes

The debate and discussion about digital ad displays being turned off to save energy has spread from mainland Europe to Ireland.

Sinn Féin Senator Lynn Boylan has called for the Irish government to restrict the operating hours of LED billboards to reduce energy demand during peak hours. “The Government should follow the example of Germany and reduce the hours that advertisement billboards are lit to help reduce energy demand,” Boylan suggests in a story in the Irish publication, The Journal.

“Surely given Ireland’s risk of blackouts and the State’s agreement to reduce demand by 15%, billboards should, at a minimum be switched off during the peak hours of 5-9pm and 7-9am?” notes Boylan.

She suggests the larger LED displays deployed in Dublin and elsewhere can consume as much energy in a year as 33 Irish households.

Facing the same energy supply issues seen across Europe and the UK, Electric Ireland has recently raised energy prices: Due to unprecedented increases in international energy market prices and their impact on wholesale gas prices, Electric Ireland has today, (1^st September 2022), announced plans to increase residential electricity bills by 26.7 per cent and gas bills by 37.5 per cent with effect from 1^st October 2022. 

I suspect this issue is also coming up in other countries.