20.11.2023
Source: Energie & Management Powernews
The law on heat planning and the decarbonization of heating networks was passed with the votes of the traffic light coalition. It now goes to the Federal Council.
With the law, the government wants to create the legal basis for the binding introduction of nationwide heat planning (WPG). It supplements the amendment to the Building Energy Act (GEG) passed in September and, like the GEG, is set to come into force on January 1, 2024. The adopted federal funding for efficient buildings - individual measures (BEG) is also set to come into force on January 1, 2024.
The aim is to convert the supply of space heating, hot water and process heat to greenhouse gas neutrality so that Germany's climate protection targets can be achieved by 2045. The SPD called it "great progress" that the law would translate the climate targets into practical policy. The law was wanted by the municipalities and the financing was regulated, the parliamentary group said, referring to objections from the opposition.
The Greens emphasized that the law would create planning and investment security for the municipalities. It is important that the climate obligations are met and that the municipalities are not overburdened. The FDP pointed out that the federal states would be obliged to issue regulations for the municipalities. The federal government could not cover the entire costs of district and local heating for every local authority. The age of fossil fuels is over and we must now "get going".
The CDU/CSU parliamentary group's spokesperson for construction and housing policy, Jan-Marco Luczak, criticized: "It is still unclear what concrete support people will receive when replacing their heating systems." The social flank of the heating turnaround is open and unclear. The financing for local authorities is also still unclear, warned the opposition.
Content of the law
In concrete terms, the federal states are obliged to carry out heating planning on their territory. By 2030, half of grid-based heat is to be generated in a climate-neutral way. Operators of existing heating networks will be required to feed at least 30% of their heating networks with heat generated from renewable energies or unavoidable waste heat by 2030 and 80% by 2040. A corresponding proportion of 65% is required for new heating networks.
The result of the heating planning are heating plans, which must be drawn up by the end of June 2026 in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants and by the end of June 2028 in smaller cities and municipalities. For municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, the federal states can provide for a simplified procedure. Several municipalities can also carry out joint heat planning. By the end of 2044, every heating network must be supplied entirely with heat from renewable energies, from unavoidable waste heat or from a combination thereof.
The draft bill also provides for amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment Act and the Building Code. The use of biomass to generate energy is to be made easier under planning law in built-up areas. Privileges are to be granted to projects that serve to process biogas into biomethane or that generate electricity or heat as a combined heat and power plant with certain specifications.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
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