Eco-dictatorship and forced redevelopment? Habeck's heating law is making waves. An energy expert points out the shortcomings - and calls for gas to become more expensive.
Berlin/Bochum - Rarely has a planned law caused so much excitement: For weeks, many Germans have been very worried about the heating law of Climate Minister Robert Habeck (Greens). A bitter dispute has flared up in the traffic light coalition, and in the media there is sometimes talk of "eco-dictatorship", "forced renovation" and "heating hammer".
So is Habeck's heating law simply insane? Or is it simply unavoidable? At least if Germany wants to achieve its goal of becoming climate neutral by 2045?
Prof. Dr. Andreas Löschel brings clarity into the darkness in an interview with Merkur.de from IPPEN. MEDIA. As Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics at the Ruhr University Bochum, he deals full-time with questions of the energy transition. And he says: Instead of working with bans, heating with gas and oil should become more expensive for Germans. Then people would switch to non-fossil forms of heating on their own.
Switchman or wanderer? Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has to take criticism for his planned heating law. © Chris Emil Janssen/Imago
Habeck: Heating law in communication a disaster?
Habeck's law stipulates that from 2045 onwards, only heating systems that are operated with at least 65 percent renewable energies may be installed, but old heating systems do not have to be replaced. In principle, this approach is the right one, starting with the energy transition in the building sector, according to Löschel - after all, Germany consumes two-thirds of its energy in this area.
But as true as Habeck's intention was, the communication was probably a disaster: "The false narrative quickly took hold that there is a compulsion to tear out the old heaters," says Löschel. The result was massive resistance - and a run on oil and gas heating systems: Many Germans wanted to have such a heating system installed quickly before they were no longer allowed to do so.
Habeck must demonstrate: Oil and gas are not worthwhile in the long term
And this is apparently where the problem lies: Politicians are currently not telling people enough that they are likely to pay more for the installation of an oil or gas heating system in the long term, says Löschel: "The government has completely failed to set the right economic framework and show that oil and gas will become more expensive in the future," says the professor of resource economics.
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For years, gas and oil in Germany became cheaper and cheaper. And many apparently still have the feeling that it will stay that way. This is not surprising, according to Löschel, in a situation where prices are currently in free fall again. After the shock surge caused by the Ukraine war, the traffic light coalition quickly resorted to the electricity and gas price brake. "This has created the impression that the state will step in immediately when fossil fuel prices rise," says Löschel. In the discussion about the Heating Act, this is now having an unfavorable effect. "For the most part, people don't see the benefit of switching to renewable energy sources."
Habeck relied too much on bans with the heating law
According to the expert, politicians should have prepared a desired energy transition in the building sector much better in order to focus more on opportunities instead of working with bans. Habeck's ministry should therefore readjust, the climate researcher finds. "There is still an opportunity now to make the framework better."
For the expert, this means in concrete terms: raising the prices for gas and oil and at the same time helping those who cannot afford it. "In the whole discussion, people were left in the dark until the very end as to what support services would look like in concrete terms."
According to the expert, a ready-made concept has been in the drawer for years: the so-called climate money, developed by Social Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD). With this, revenues from higher CO₂ prices can be passed on to those particularly affected in order to absorb their additional costs. "That would be very doable. The lower consumption that is achieved with it offsets these expenses for the government."
"If climate policy is allowed to cost nothing, we won't get anywhere"
Despite the need for improvement, the climate researcher does not see Habeck as a minister as the sole culprit of the current misery: "Habeck is now going where it hurts, and the citizens feel for the first time that climate protection costs something. So far, we've pushed that pretty far away from us." Habeck is now putting his money where his mouth is when it comes to implementation.
Slogans of the opposition or the Habeck-critical coalition partner FDP, that the climate change can be achieved without it costing the individual, the energy expert considers dubious. "If you suggest that climate policy doesn't cost anything, then we won't get anywhere," says the climate researcher. "In the short term, the energy transition will cause high costs, even if we are likely to benefit from it over a long period of time."
Habeck's heating law poorly prepared, according to experts
In addition to the dreaded immense investments, there are also other uncertainties: For example, the installation of a heat pump, which Habeck relies on, is not possible everywhere. "We should have started preparing much earlier and shown the options that individuals have on site, for example by means of municipal heat plans," says the climate professor. After all, Habeck seems to be leading the way on this point: In another draft law from his ministry, Habeck demands details from the municipalities on heating behavior and the location, year of construction and use of the buildings.
In any case, climate researcher Löschel does not accept Habeck's argument that the massive criticism of his law arises from a campaign against his person, which is instigated by the powerful gas industry, which fears for its billions in profits: "There are a number of concrete problems that should be taken seriously and not simply wiped away with reference to lobbying," he finds. (smu)