The Federal Ministry of Economics is driving the switch to climate-friendly heating systems. According to media reports, the first draft law for the end of oil and gas heating is already in place. However, the approval of the other traffic light parties is still missing.
The economics and construction ministries are working on a draft law to ban the installation of new gas and oil heating systems from 2024. However, there are currently no final drafts, said a spokeswoman on Tuesday in Berlin for a report by the “Bild” newspaper. The Economics and Climate Protection Ministry and the Building Ministry are currently working together on an amendment.
Almost a year ago, the coalition agreed that from January 1, 2024, every newly installed heating system should be operated with 65 percent renewable energy. This requirement is to be anchored in the Building Energy Act. In the coalition agreement, this was previously planned for January 1, 2025. The background are stronger efforts in the building sector for more climate protection. The installation of heating systems based exclusively on fossil fuels – especially gas and oil heating – will no longer be permitted from 2024, according to the draft law, which, according to the ministry, is not yet final. This draft was available to the German Press Agency. According to information from the “Bild” newspaper, both the FDP and the SPD would not agree to the current draft.
According to the “Bild” newspaper, the 92-page draft lists step by step when the oil and gas heating systems have to be switched off. In the event of damage to heating systems, there should be a transitional period of three years before the relevant requirements have to be met, according to the information in the draft reform of the Building Energy Act (GEG). The use of fossil heating systems should generally be banned after 30 years of operation. From 2045, the use of oil and gas heating will be completely banned.
Habeck had already announced a strong need for state support when switching to climate-friendly heating systems. The Greens politician said the funding must be such that people with a smaller budget would not be prevented from renovating a house, installing a heat pump or removing the gas burner. The federal government must create the financial means to make up the difference to gas heating, which is cheaper – until the ramp-up is there and the technology has become cheaper.
According to Habeck, this will be put into perspective on the route: “But at the beginning I see a strong need for support so that the need to generate climate-neutral heat does not lead to socio-political problems.”
The exchange of heating is already being promoted. There are sometimes long delivery times for heat pumps. Germany has legally committed to becoming greenhouse gas neutral by 2045 at the latest. To this end, the use of fossil fuels in building heating is to be completely phased out by 2045 at the latest.
