The installation ban on new gas and oil heating systems from the beginning of 2024 has met with sharp criticism from the opposition, despite the planned exemptions and transitional regulations. CSU General Secretary Martin Huber accused the traffic light coalition on Saturday of "climate protection with a crowbar". "The traffic light plans are socially unjust and an unjustifiable burden, especially for older homeowners," he said. The Left Party representative for Eastern Europe, Sören Pellmann, spoke of an "impoverishment program". In the east, tens of thousands of heating changes were pending, as many systems had been installed in the 90s. "People are despairing in view of the horrendous renovation costs that will be incurred."
The climate protection and energy policy spokesman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Andreas Jung, still sees many open questions about which the Federal Government must create comprehensive transparency in the short term. It must be clarified, for example, whether there should actually be a ban on biomass heating for new buildings and whether heating with pellets is still possible. Also unclear is the promotion of investments by the state and the support especially for financially weak households, criticized the CDU deputy.
The Left Party politician Pellmann also complained that the social flanking of the heating program was still undetermined. This is "further proof of the social coldness of the traffic light".
Traffic light compromise waives obligation to replace
The coalition had announced on Friday evening a compromise on the controversial building energy law with the ban on the installation of new gas and oil heating systems. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics and the Federal Building Ministry, a finished draft law supported by all three parties is now available. Accordingly, it remains essentially the case that from 1 January 2024, every newly installed heating system must be operated with 65 percent renewable energies. However, there should be exceptions, transitional periods and comprehensive funding.
According to the information, the originally planned replacement obligation for functioning oil and gas heating systems is waived. If old heating systems break irreparably after 2024, an oil or gas boiler can be installed again at short notice, but it must be supplemented with modern technology within three years in order to meet the 65 percent requirement. Homeowners who are over 80 years old are completely exempt from it, they may continue to install oil and gas heating systems. There should also be a hardship regulation for financially weak households.
From the end of 2044, however, heating with oil and gas should finally come to an end, because Germany wants to be climate-neutral from 2045, i.e. does not want to release any additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Green chairwoman: "Breakthrough in the heat transition"
The Green co-chairwoman Ricarda Lang spoke of a "breakthrough in the heat transition". "After the turbo in renewables and the end of fossil combustion engines, the traffic light is paving the way to climate neutrality in another sector." It is good that the law is now quickly on the way, so that manufacturers and consumers can plan safely. "It is important that we cushion social hardship and thus really support people along the way. Together, we are creating a secure, affordable and sustainable heat supply," said Lang.
The FDP in the Bundestag underlined the openness to technology in replacing previous oil and gas heating systems. "The FDP has always emphasized that the state must not patronize people in the selection of their heating," said deputy parliamentary group chairman Lukas Köhler of the German Press Agency. Contrary to the original plans of the Federal Ministry of Economics, it is now up to everyone in the compromise on the Building Energy Act how to achieve the target of 65 percent renewable energies in a new heating system.
"So everyone can find the perfect solution for themselves and their own house," said the FDP politician. The rules now found for the replacement of heating systems can also be implemented much more realistically in the reality of people's lives.
The deputy CDU/CSU parliamentary group chairman Ulrich Lange, however, criticized that the project would make construction massively more expensive. "With their plans for the building energy law, the traffic light hits the people in our country, but also the construction industry in the marrow and leg," said the CSU politician to the "editorial network Germany" on Saturday.