In 2024, around four million oil and gas heating systems will be 30 years old; part of it must then be replaced in accordance with the Building Energy Act. (Archive image) © Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa
In the coming year, four million oil and gas heating systems will be 30 years old – and may then be affected by an obligation to replace them. A Union expert calls on the traffic light to rethink.
Berlin – The planned heating law has caused a great deal of excitement. It stipulates that from 2024 onwards, 65 percent of newly installed heating systems will be powered by renewable energies. If the law comes into force in this way, it could mean that countless heating system owners will have to replace their heating system as early as next year.
Obligation to replace oil and gas heating systems
This emerges from responses by the federal government to a request from the Union parliamentary group, which was reported by the Augsburger Allgemeine on Tuesday. According to the study, around four million oil and gas heating systems will be 2024 years old in 30; part of it must then be replaced in accordance with the Building Energy Act. The 30-year rule for these heating systems has been in force for some time and has nothing to do with the heating system replacement now being sought by the federal government.
However, there are extensive exceptions to the previous replacement obligation. A good half of the four million affected heating systems have comparatively efficient low-temperature boilers and are allowed to continue running. A further 860,000 oil and 630,000 gas heating systems will only have to be removed in the event of a change of ownership.
Expert warns of rush for new gas and oil heating systems
In view of the high figures, the CDU/CSU energy expert Andreas Jung warns of a rush for new oil and gas heating systems if the reform continues to cause ambiguity. According to Jung, the high stock of old heating systems shows the extent of the need for action and the uncertainty of a large number of owners and tenants: "Robert Habeck now has to get to the foundations of his heating plans, just turning a few screws on the heating design is not enough."
The German government has been discussing an amendment to the Building Energy Act for weeks. Above all, criticism of the draft by Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) comes from the co-governing FDP. Habeck wants to meet on Tuesday (30 May) with members of the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP and explore a possible compromise. (lma/Reuters/dpa)
