Rich reforms heating law: flexibility instead of coercion!

Rich reforms heating law: flexibility instead of coercion!

Katherina Reiche, the new Federal Economics Minister of the CDU, has announced a comprehensive reform of the controversial Building Energy Act (GEG). In her speech, she emphasized that the existing heating law shows signs of excessive regulatory law. “There is complete uncertainty,” said Reiche, who sharply criticized the previous government’s previous approach of rejecting gas heating across the board. Their goal is to make the heating market more flexible and offer more payment options.

The coalition agreement of the new black-red federal government agreed to abolish the GEG. Reiche plans to enable “affordable hybrid solutions” that combine boilers and solar thermal energy. She also emphasizes that the specifications should be made more open to technology, more flexible and simpler.

Withdrawal of bans and promotion of hybrid technologies

One of the central measures of the tax reform is the withdrawal of the operating ban for old constant temperature boilers that are more than 30 years old. This ban has been anchored in the Energy Saving Ordinance and the Building Energy Act for more than 15 years. The focus of the new federal government is on promoting hybrid heating, which is already standard in old buildings.

Reiche explained that the current measures are aimed at reducing the price of electricity and is planning concrete steps to be implemented before the summer break. “There is no obligation to use a heat pump,” she clarified, as the GEG already allows various heating technologies. This does not affect restrictions that will only apply from 2026 or 2028.

Discussion about the future amendment to the law

The exact timetable for the amendment to the law is still unclear, initial voices speak of a GEG in 2026. In the coming weeks it is expected that talks between the SPD and CDU will continue in order to rethink the future orientation of the GEG from energy efficiency to emission efficiency.

In addition, reference is made to the legal CO2 reduction targets for building renovations, which the owners themselves should implement in the future. The negotiations on the GEG amendment have not yet been completed, and the discussion about how heating and electricity prices can be kept affordable for citizens remains a key focus of the new government.

The federal election on February 23, 2024 is approaching, and political parties have begun to present their election programs presenting different approaches to energy policy and its challenges.

Further details on the reform of the heating law can be found at T Online and Energy consultant.