Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck sees progress in the expansion of climate-friendly heating networks in Germany and warns against too much focus on hydrogen for heating. “The expansion and conversion of green heating networks is progressing,” said the Green politician of the German Press Agency. This is shown by the good response to the federal funding for efficient heating networks. Since the start in mid-September 2022, around 200 million euros in funding from the climate and transformation fund have been approved for the decarbonisation of the heating networks.
In the ongoing debate about the heating law, Habeck told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” that he was “proud of every change” that would make the building energy law better. But there is “a tricky point, and that is the hydrogen”. He would be happy if gas heaters could run on hydrogen. “I’m just afraid that it’s not enough for that.” The existing hydrogen will initially be needed for areas such as the steel industry, in which the transformation does not work any differently.
A few days ago, after a long struggle, a top group of the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP cleared the way for the controversial heating law. According to the agreement, the Building Energy Act and a Heat Planning Act are to be linked and both will come into force on January 1, 2024. Compulsory municipal heating planning is to be introduced by 2028 at the latest, so that citizens can find out whether their house will soon be connected to a district or local heating network or whether they should convert their heating to a heat pump in the foreseeable future. As long as there is no municipal heating plan, gas heaters should also be allowed to be installed during the exchange – if they can be converted to hydrogen. The FDP had previously insisted on being open to technology.
However, Habeck warned against making “empty promises” to consumers. First of all, “it must be reliably clarified whether and where hydrogen is really available for heating”. Otherwise, people would end up with a hydrogen heater without hydrogen. “That would be very expensive.” Green leader Ricarda Lang appealed to consumers to stop installing fossil fuel heating systems. “Anyone who convinces people that gas and oil heating systems are worthwhile is actively deceiving consumers,” she told the Funke media group.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke confirmed that the use of pellet heating systems should only be possible under certain environmental and health protection requirements. “If the Bundestag wants to change that, it will be difficult to take sufficient account of the protection of the forests,” said the Green politician “Zeit Online”. Air pollution is also a problem.
FDP faction leader Christian Dürr emphasized to the Funke media group that he assumes that the coalition partners will stick to the agreements made. “For example, we have agreed that gas heaters that can be converted to hydrogen can continue to be installed. Wood pellet heaters will also be permitted in new buildings and existing buildings.”
CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja warned against passing the heating law prematurely. The traffic light parties announced an agreement in big words, which was immediately interpreted differently, he told the editorial network Germany (RND). “What we have now are guard rails, not a draft law. There is reason to be skeptical as to whether this government will be able to present a unified draft law before the summer break.”
It remains unclear whether there will be an obligation to connect to district heating. The future general manager of the Association of Towns and Municipalities thinks this makes sense. “If everyone is connected, then the investment is worthwhile,” said André Berghegger of the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (Saturday).
